Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air | Specs, Camera & Battery
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air
Here we compared two flagship smartphones: the 6.8-inch Google Pixel 10 Pro XL (with Google Tensor G5) that was released on August 20, 2025, against the Apple iPhone Air, which is powered by Apple A19 Pro and came out 1 month after. On this page, you will find tests, full specs, strengths, and weaknesses of each of the devices.
Price Comparison
| Model | Base Price (256 GB) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Google Pixel 10 Pro XL | $1,199.00 (Best Buy) | |
| Apple iPhone Air | $999.00 (Apple) |
Key Differences
| Category | Google Pixel 10 Pro XL | Apple iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | Rear camera has 5x optical zoom | – |
| Battery | Comes with 2051 mAh larger capacity: 5200 mAh vs 3149 mAh | – |
| Memory (RAM) | Has 2x more RAM: 16 GB vs 8 GB | – |
| Display | Has a 0.3-inch larger screen size | – |
| Biometrics | Includes a fingerprint scanner | – |
| Charging | Supports higher wattage charging (45W vs 30W) | – |
| Processor | CPU with 2 more cores | – |
| Performance | – | 35% better in AnTuTu: 2,033K vs 1,508K |
| Audio | – | Supports Dolby Atmos sound |
| Benchmark (GeekBench 6) | – | 61% faster single-core: 3736 vs 2320 |
| Weight | – | 67 grams lighter |
Tests and specifications
Comparison table of technical specifications and tests
Display
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | OLED | OLED | Both use OLED for deep blacks & vibrant colors |
| Size | 6.8 inches | 6.5 inches | Pixel offers slightly larger display |
| Resolution | 1344 × 2992 px | 1260 × 2736 px | Higher resolution on Pixel |
| Aspect Ratio | 20:9 | 19.5:9 | Pixel is a bit taller/narrower |
| PPI | 486 ppi | 460 ppi | Sharper pixel density on Pixel |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz | 120 Hz | Both smooth and responsive |
| Adaptive Refresh | 1–120 Hz | 1–120 Hz | Efficient refresh scaling on both |
| Brightness (Max) | 3300 nits | 3000 nits | Pixel is brighter in sunlight |
| Brightness (HDR) | 2200 nits | 1600 nits | Pixel offers higher HDR brightness |
| HDR Support | HDR10+ | Dolby Vision | Pixel supports HDR10+, iPhone supports Dolby Vision |
| Screen Protection | Gorilla Glass Victus 2 | – | Pixel offers stronger screen protection |
| Screen-to-body Ratio | 89.5% | 88.9% | Pixel uses space slightly better |
| Display Features | DCI-P3, Always-On | DCI-P3, Always-On | Both support wide color and AOD |
| Screen Area | 17.3 in² | 16.1 in² | Pixel has ~7% more screen space |
Design & Build
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Height | 162.8 mm | 156.2 mm | Pixel is taller |
| Width | 76.6 mm | 74.7 mm | Pixel is slightly wider |
| Thickness | 8.5 mm | 5.6 mm | iPhone is much slimmer |
| Weight | 232 g | 165 g | iPhone is 67 g lighter |
| Waterproof | IP68 | IP68 | Both dust/water resistant |
| Cooling | Vapor chamber | – | Pixel has advanced cooling |
| Rear Material | Glass | Glass | Premium build on both |
| Frame | Metal | Metal | Solid durability both sides |
| Colors | White, Black, Gray, Green | White, Black, Gold, Blue | Variety for both |
| Fingerprint Scanner | In-display | No (Face ID only) | Pixel offers biometric choice |
Performance
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chipset | Google Tensor G5 | Apple A19 Pro | Custom SoCs for both |
| Max Clock | 3.78 GHz | 4.26 GHz | iPhone runs at higher frequency |
| CPU Cores | 8 (1+5+2) | 6 (2+4) | Pixel has more cores |
| Lithography | 3nm (TSMC) | 3nm (TSMC) | Same advanced node |
| GPU | PowerVR DXT-48-1536 | Apple A19 Pro GPU | iPhone GPU stronger |
| GPU Clock | 1000 MHz | 1620 MHz | iPhone clocked higher |
| GPU Shading Units | 768 | 768 | Same count |
| FLOPS | ~1536 GFLOPS | ~2488 GFLOPS | iPhone more powerful |
| NPU | Yes | Neural Engine | Both AI-ready |
Memory & Storage
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAM | 16 GB | 8 GB | Pixel doubles RAM |
| Memory Type | LPDDR5 | LPDDR5X | iPhone uses newer type |
| Channels | 4 | 4 | Same bandwidth |
| Storage | 256 GB | 256 GB | Equal capacity |
| Storage Type | UFS 4.0 | NVMe | iPhone has faster storage |
| Expandable | No | No | No card slot on both |
Software
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Android 16 | iOS 26 |
| ROM | Stock Android | – |
Battery & Charging
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5200 mAh | 3149 mAh | Pixel has much larger battery |
| Max Charge Power | 45W | 30W | Pixel charges faster |
| Wireless Charging | 23W | 20W | Pixel supports higher wattage |
| Reverse Charging | Yes (wireless) | Yes | Both support reverse charging |
| Fast Charging | 57% in 30 min | 50% in 30 min | Pixel slightly faster |
| Full Charge Time | 1h 33m | – | Pixel data available |
Cameras
Main Camera (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 50 MP | 48 MP |
| Zoom | 5x Optical | Digital only |
| Video | 8K @30fps, 4K @60fps | 4K @60fps |
| Stabilization | Optical | Optical |
| Lenses | Triple (Std, Tele, Ultra-wide) | Single main |
| DxOMark Score | 163 | n/a |
Selfie Camera (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Megapixels | 42 MP | 18 MP |
| Aperture | f/2.2 | f/1.9 |
| Stabilization | Digital | Optical |
| Video | 4K @60fps | 4K @60fps |
| TOF Depth Sensor | No | Yes |
Connectivity (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 7 | Wi-Fi 7 |
| Bluetooth | 6.0 LE | 6.0 LE |
| USB | Type-C 3.2 | Type-C 2.0 |
| DisplayPort | Yes | No |
| GPS | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS, Beidou, NAVIC |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| SIM | Nano + eSIM | eSIM only |
| 5G | Yes | Yes |
Sound (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Speakers | Stereo | Stereo |
| Headphone Jack | No | No |
| Dolby Atmos | No | Yes |
Benchmarks (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
| Test | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (Single) | 2320 | 3736 (+61%) | iPhone |
| Geekbench 6 (Multi) | 6396 | 9737 (+52%) | iPhone |
| AnTuTu v10 | 1,508,196 | 2,033,552 (+35%) | iPhone |
Other Details (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
| Feature | Pixel 10 Pro XL | iPhone Air |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Flagship | Flagship |
| Announced | Aug 2025 | Sep 2025 |
| Launch Price | $1199 | $999 |
| Sensors | Full set + Fingerprint | Full set + Face ID |
| Charger in Box | No | No |
FAQs (Google Pixel 10 Pro XL vs Apple iPhone Air)
1. Which phone has a better display, Pixel 10 Pro XL or iPhone Air?
The Pixel 10 Pro XL offers a slightly larger 6.8″ screen with higher resolution and brightness (3300 nits vs 3000 nits). The iPhone Air supports Dolby Vision, while the Pixel supports HDR10+.
2. Which phone is more powerful?
The iPhone Air is significantly more powerful in benchmarks, scoring higher in both Geekbench (single & multi-core) and AnTuTu, thanks to the Apple A19 Pro chip.
3. Does the Pixel 10 Pro XL support optical zoom?
Yes, the Pixel 10 Pro XL includes a 5x telephoto lens with optical zoom, while the iPhone Air relies only on digital zoom.
4. Which has a bigger battery?
The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a much larger 5200 mAh battery compared to the iPhone Air’s 3149 mAh.
5. How fast do they charge?
Pixel 10 Pro XL supports 45W wired charging and can charge up to 57% in 30 minutes, while the iPhone Air supports 30W wired charging (50% in 30 minutes).
6. Which phone is lighter and slimmer?
The iPhone Air is 67 g lighter and slimmer at 5.6 mm thickness compared to Pixel’s 8.5 mm.
7. Do both phones have waterproofing?
Yes, both devices come with IP68 dust and water resistance.
8. Which phone has better camera features?
The Pixel 10 Pro XL has a triple-lens setup (standard, telephoto, ultrawide) and supports 8K video recording, while the iPhone Air has a single 48MP main lens without optical zoom or 8K support.
9. What about the selfie cameras?
Pixel 10 Pro XL has a 42MP selfie camera, while the iPhone Air offers 18MP but includes a TOF 3D depth sensor for Face ID.
10. Which one supports Dolby Atmos?
Only the iPhone Air supports Dolby Atmos sound technology.
11. Do both phones support wireless charging?
Yes, the Pixel supports 23W wireless charging, and the iPhone supports 20W wireless charging. Both also support reverse charging.
12. Which phone is better for multitasking and RAM usage?
The Pixel 10 Pro XL offers 16GB of RAM, double the iPhone Air’s 8GB, making it more suitable for heavy multitasking.
13. Do they come with a charger in the box?
No, neither phone includes a charger in the retail box.
14. Which has more storage options?
Both start at 256GB, but the iPhone uses NVMe storage, which is faster than Pixel’s UFS 4.0.
15. Which has better build quality?
Both phones feature glass backs and metal frames. The Pixel includes vapor chamber cooling, while the iPhone is slimmer and lighter.
16. Do both support 5G?
Yes, both support 5G networks with eSIM functionality.
17. What is the launch price of each phone?
- Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: $1199
- Apple iPhone Air: $999
18. Which OS do they run?
Pixel 10 Pro XL runs Android 16 (Stock Android).
iPhone Air runs iOS 26.
19. Which has better gaming performance?
The iPhone Air, with its higher GPU clock and benchmark scores, provides smoother gaming performance.
20. Which should I choose: Pixel 10 Pro XL or iPhone Air?
- Choose Pixel 10 Pro XL if you want better battery life, higher RAM, optical zoom camera, and larger display.
- Choose iPhone Air if you prefer performance, lighter design, Dolby Atmos, and the iOS ecosystem.
