The best gets better
Google’s top Pixel will be updated in 2026. The Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to feature a faster and much more energy-efficient processor, a cool LED ring around the rear camera island, better gaming support, and plenty of surprises when it debuts on August 12.
Advantages
- New Pixel Glow feature
- Updated Vulkan support should mean better gaming performance
- Battery life should be noticeably improved.
- Pixelsnap MagSafe Magnetic Mount
- Possible camera upgrades
- It should have the same great accessory holder.
Cons
- Probably still underperforms Qualcomm chipsets
- Low PWM rate
- Pixels have a history of having errors
The best Pixel of last year
The Pixel 10 Pro XL looks a lot like the Pixel 11 Pro XL, and that’s a particularly good thing in a year when smartphones are getting more expensive. Buying a one-year-old phone is always a great budget option, and this may be the best year yet for that tactic.
Advantages
- Pixelsnap Qi2 implementation is brilliant
- A host of exclusive Google Pixel apps and services
- Many AI functions are processed on the device
- Excellent ecosystem of accessories (first and third party)
- Noticeably improved gaming performance vs. Pixel 6-9
Cons
- eSIM only in US
- Forced acceleration of the battery to 200 cycles
- Not compatible with the latest version of Vulkan
- Performance is sometimes less than half that of Qualcomm
- PWM rate is still bad
He Google Pixel 11 Family is right around the corner, and that means now is a good time to start considering whether you’ll upgrade to this year’s phone or save money and get the best of last year with a solid deal (or a second-hand deal).
In a year with rapidly rising tech prices, 2026 might be the best year to consider buying last year’s phone, especially with Google rumored to not be giving the Pixel 11 Pro XL a massive overhaul. If you choose between Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XLor are considering upgrading year after year, here’s everything you need to know!
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Design and display
The Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro XL will probably look identical at first glance, but at least one key change will catch your eye and make you at least a little bit jealous. I’m talking about Pixel Glowa new type of LED appearing on the Pixel 11’s camera bar, apparently as part of the camera’s flash unit.
Google may be following Nothing’s lead with this new initiative, and will likely offer ways to light up the camera bar whenever you receive notifications, talk to Geminior interact with specific apps or features on your Pixel 11.
Image 1 of 4
I already received Pixel 11 cases from Thinborne, one of Android Central’s favorite case makers, and the changes seen here show what we can expect from Pixel Glow. That edge around the camera island is where the subtle LED glow should emit from, and will give the Pixel 11 a unique look among all smartphones.
Elsewhere, we see subtle changes to the microphone placement and a slight downward shift of the power and volume buttons on the Pixel 11.
Image 1 of 5
We hope the Pixel 11 Pro XL includes the same built-in Pixelsnap magnets with MagSafe support, so you can No I need a case to use the Best MagSafe accessories for Android phones.
According to rumors, we don’t expect any major changes to the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s display, although it may receive a slight increase in maximum brightness like the Pixels have done in the past. Google has been good about introducing new screen accessibility features, such as Comfort filters and last year’ssensitive eyes” feature, so I expect to be pleasantly surprised by the PWM dimming rate at the August 12 event.
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Battery life, performance and specs
All signs point to the Pixel 11 Pro XL being the most efficient phone in Pixel history. He More efficient G6 tensioner and the new MediaTek modem The interior of the Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to offer a 20-30% efficiency improvement. This, plus a slight improvement in battery capacity, should be a big improvement over any previous Pixel phone.
The Tensor G6 processor expected to power the Pixel 11 Pro XL should be manufactured on a 2nm process, resulting in performance gains of around 15% in daily use. Google is also said to be using a newer PowerVR GPU that supports Vulkan 1.4, so mobile games will look and run better than on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
|
Category |
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (rumored) |
Google Pixel 10 ProXL |
|---|---|---|
|
Show |
6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz Super Actua OLED |
6.8-inch QHD+ 120Hz Super Actua OLED |
|
SW |
Android 17 |
Android 16 (upgradable to Android 17) |
|
Processor |
G6 tensioners |
G5 tensioners |
|
RAM |
12GB/16GB |
12GB/16GB |
|
Storage |
256GB/512GB/1TB |
256GB/512GB/1TB |
|
Rear camera 1 |
50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide) |
50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide) |
|
Rear camera 2 |
48 MP, f/1.7 (ultra wide angle) |
48 MP, f/1.7 (ultra wide angle) |
|
Rear camera 3 |
48 MP, f/2.8, 5x (periscope telephoto) |
48 MP, f/2.8, 5x (periscope telephoto) |
|
front camera |
42 megapixels, f/2.2 |
42 megapixels, f/2.2 |
|
Ingress protection |
IP68 |
IP68 |
|
Connectivity |
5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 6.0, eSIM only (in US) |
5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 6.0, eSIM only (in US) |
|
Battery |
5,000 mAh |
4,870 mAh |
|
Charging |
Qi2 wired 45W, wireless 25W |
Qi2 wired 45W, wireless 25W |
|
Dimensions |
162.8×76.6×8.5mm |
162.8×76.6×8.5mm |
|
Weight |
to confirm |
232 grams |
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Camera and software
Despite some impressive new features, I was largely unimpressed with the The Pixel 10 Pro XL camera last year. While it did a great job of capturing moving objects (like children and pets), I found the telephoto camera strangely unreliable.
Hopefully, Google fixes these issues on the Pixel 11 Pro XL and returns to the top-notch Pixel camera experience. Google still needs to work on video recording quality, which it improved substantially with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but it still lags behind rivals like Apple and Samsung.
Pixels often make headlines with buggy updates and major problemsand overall it’s a bad look for Google’s great brand. Pixel Drop Updates brings new features every quarter and I hate to see this kind of support tarnished by carelessness.
I hope the Pixel 11 Pro XL launches with some exclusive features, but Google is usually good at bringing those features to older Pixel phones after a while. So while Pixel 10 Pro XL users will have to wait for fancy new features to be announced in August, they almost certainly won’t miss out.
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Which should you buy?
I’m going to hedge my bets and say that the Pixel 10 Pro XL will be a better buy given the price increases we’re seeing on new smartphones this year. Without a doubt, the new processor, GPU, larger battery, and fancy new lights on the back of the Pixel 11 Pro XL will be great reasons to upgrade, but I’m not sure they’ll make the price difference worth it for most people.
