Went hands-on with Google Pixel 10, and something feels different this time

After a week with Google’s Pixel 10, there's something different about how it carries itself. Previous base Pixels always had this "what I lack in cameras, I make up in charm" vibe. The Pixel 10 drops that act. It's still Rs 79,990, looks basically identical to last year, but it's stopped apologising for existing.The tweaks aren't dramatic individually — third camera, magnets under the hood, usual chip refresh. But stack them up and they address the exact reasons people used to skip the regular Pixel for the Pro model. For once, the base model doesn't feel like it's missing obvious pieces.

The camera that changes everything (quietly)

Let's address the elephant in the room (I’m never getting done with this line): that third camera lens. After years of the base Pixel feeling like the scrappy younger sibling, Google has finally given it a proper telephoto, and the 5x telephoto does what telephoto lenses do — brings distant stuff closer without turning everything into a pixelated mess. Nothing groundbreaking here, just a basic feature that the regular Pixel desperately needed.

The difference hits you in mundane moments. Taking a photo of someone across the room without having to shuffle awkwardly closer. Capturing your kid's school play from the back row. Reading menu boards from your car. Boring stuff that becomes less annoying when your phone can actually handle it.Google squeezed this lens in by shrinking the main and ultrawide sensors. You'll spot the difference in dim lighting if you're comparing photos side by side, but the Pixel's processing algorithms do enough heavy lifting that most shots still look decent. The trade-off seems fair.More than the technical upgrade, it's the mental shift that matters. The camera setup finally feels complete rather than deliberately hobbled. You approach photo-taking differently when you're not constantly bumping against limitations.

Magnets, how do they work?

Pixelsnap could have been Google's version of "magnetic charging at home" — technically functional but practically useless. Instead, it works pretty much like you'd expect. Strong enough to hold accessories securely, easy enough to remove without a wrestling match.The real win is MagSafe compatibility without needing a special case. Your existing magnetic car mount, wallet, whatever — it all just works. Google's own accessories are perfectly adequate but nothing special.This matters most if you're thinking about jumping platforms. When your gear transfers over, switching becomes way less of a production.

AI that knows when to pipe down

Google stuffed various AI features into this phone, but most stay out of your way unless they have something useful to contribute. Magic Cue runs silently, occasionally popping up with genuinely helpful suggestions. Order tracking during customer service calls, contact suggestions when coordinating meetups, that kind of thing.It's refreshing after watching other companies force AI into every interaction whether it makes sense or not. When Magic Cue works, it feels like a competent assistant. When it doesn't appear, you forget it exists.Camera Coach offers framing suggestions that range from actually helpful to slightly condescending. Won't turn anyone into a photographer, but might make holiday snaps look less chaotic. Weirdly needs internet access for what should be basic composition advice.

The comfortable shoes approach

Daily performance feels snappy enough for whatever you throw at it. The Tensor G5 won't top any benchmark charts, but for normal phone tasks, it's plenty quick. The gap between "fast enough" and "fastest available" matters less in practice than on paper.Battery life hits that sweet spot where you can push through long days without panic, though you'll probably plug in overnight anyway. It's dependable without being remarkable — which describes a lot about this phone.Design sticks to the playbook. Same proportions, same camera bump, same overall vibe. If you dug that aesthetic, this will feel like home. If you wanted something radically different, keep waiting.

The almost-verdict

The Pixel 10 feels like Google's attempt to make the base model actually complete instead of strategically limited. The camera situation gets fixed, magnetic charging removes a switching hurdle, and the AI stuff points toward useful directions without being pushy about it.It's not the flashiest phone this year, But it might be the phone that makes people happy they bought it, which is a much rarer achievement than the spec sheets suggest. Whether that's enough to justify the price depends entirely on what you're optimising for — bragging rights or daily satisfaction. That's something we'll figure out after living with it beyond this first week.