The best gets better
Google’s flagship Pixel is getting an upgrade in 2026. The Pixel 11 Pro XL is said to feature a faster, more power-efficient processor, a cool LED ring around the rear camera island, better gaming support, and plenty of other surprises when it debuts on August 12.
Pros
- New Pixel Glow feature
- Updated Vulkan support means better gaming performance
- Battery life should be particularly improved
- Pixelsnap MagSafe magnetic mount
- Potential camera improvements
- It should have the same great accessory support
Cons
- It probably still underperforms compared to Qualcomm chipsets
- Low PWM rate
- Pixels have a history of being buggy
Last year’s best Pixel
The Pixel 10 Pro XL looks a lot like the Pixel 11 Pro XL, which is especially great in a year when smartphones are getting more expensive. Buying a year-old phone is always a great budget option, and this might be the best year for this tactic.
Pros
- The Pixelsnap Qi2 app is brilliant
- Unique Google Pixel apps and services
- Many AI features are processed on the device
- Great accessory ecosystem (first and third party)
- Significantly improved gaming performance compared to the Pixel 6-9
Cons
- eSIM only in the US
- Mandatory battery adjustment at 200 cycles
- It does not support the latest version of Vulcan
- Performance is sometimes less than half of Qualcomm
- The PWM rate is still bad
The Google Pixel 11 family is around the corner, and that means now is a great time to start thinking about upgrading to this year’s phone, or saving up and getting last year’s best with a solid deal (or second-hand offer).
In a year with skyrocketing tech prices, 2026 could be the best year to buy last year’s phone, especially with rumors that Google hasn’t given the Pixel 11 Pro XL a major overhaul. If you’re choosing between the Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XLor if you’re thinking of upgrading from year to year, here’s everything you need to know!
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XL: Design and display
The Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 11 Pro XL may look identical at first glance, but at least one major change will catch your eye and make you at least a little jealous. I’m talking about Pixel GlowA new type of LED appears on the Pixel 11’s camera strip, which appears to be part of the camera flash unit.
Google could be taking a page from Nothing with this new initiative, possibly offering ways to light up the camera panel when you receive notifications. Twinsor interact with specific apps or features on Pixel 11.
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I’ve already received Pixel 11 cases from one of Android Central’s favorite case makers, Thinborne, and the changes seen here show what we can expect from the Pixel Glow. This lip around the camera island is where the subtle LED glow should spread, giving the Pixel 11 a unique look among all smartphones.
Elsewhere, we see subtle changes to the placement of the microphone, and a slight downward shift of the power and volume buttons on the Pixel 11.
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We expect the Pixel 11 Pro XL to feature the same built-in MagSafe compatible Pixelsnap magnets. won’t do You need a cash register to use it The best MagSafe accessories for Android phones.
Based on the rumours, we don’t expect any major changes to the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s display, although it may get a bit of a peak brightness bump like Pixels have had in the past. Google has been good at introducing new display accessibility features Comfort Filters and last year’s “sensitive eyes” hope to be pleasantly surprised by the feature PWM dimming Exchange rate for the event of August 12.
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XL: Battery life, performance and features
All signs point to the Pixel 11 Pro XL being the most efficient phone in Pixel history. The more efficient Tensor G6 and new MediaTek modem It is said to lead to a 20-30% improvement in efficiency inside the Pixel 11 Pro XL. That, plus a slight improvement in battery capacity, should be a great improvement over any previous Pixel phone.
The Tensor G6 processor, which is expected to power the Pixel 11 Pro XL, should be manufactured in a 2-nanometer process, which leads to a performance increase of about 15% in daily use. Google is also said to be using a newer PowerVR GPU compatible with Vulkan 1.4, so mobile games will look and run better than the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
|
Category |
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL (rumors) |
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL |
|---|---|---|
|
Screen |
6.8-inch Super Actua QHD+ OLED, 120Hz |
6.8-inch Super Actua QHD+ OLED, 120Hz |
|
OS |
Android 17 |
Android 16 (upgradable to Android 17) |
|
Processor |
Tensor G6 |
Tensor G5 |
|
RAM |
12GB / 16GB |
12GB / 16GB |
|
Storage |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
256GB / 512GB / 1TB |
|
Rear camera 1 |
50MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide) |
50MP, f/1.7, 25mm (wide) |
|
Rear camera 2 |
48 MP, f/1.7 (ultra wide) |
48 MP, f/1.7 (ultra wide) |
|
Rear camera 3 |
48 MP, f/2.8, 5x (periscope telephoto) |
48 MP, f/2.8, 5x (periscope telephoto) |
|
Front camera |
42MP, f/2.2 |
42MP, f/2.2 |
|
Access Protection |
IP68 |
IP68 |
|
Connection |
5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 6.0, eSIM only (in the US) |
5G (sub-6GHz, mmWave), Wi-Fi 7, UWB, Bluetooth 6.0, eSIM only (in the US) |
|
Battery |
5000mAh |
4,870 mAh |
|
Filling up |
45W wired, 25W wireless Qi2 |
45W wired, 25W wireless Qi2 |
|
Dimensions |
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm |
162.8 x 76.6 x 8.5 mm |
|
Weight |
TBA |
232 grams |
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro XL: Camera and software
Despite some awesome new features, I wasn’t too impressed Pixel 10 Pro XL camera last year. I found the telephoto camera oddly unreliable, though it still does a great job of capturing moving subjects (like children and pets).
Hopefully, Google fixes these issues in the Pixel 11 Pro XL and returns to the top-of-the-line Pixel camera experience. Google still needs to work on video recording quality, which has improved significantly with the Pixel 10 Pro XL, but continues to lag behind similar competitors. apple and Samsung.
Pixels generate headlines regularly wrong updates and main problemsand it’s generally a bad look for Google’s big brand. Pixel Drop updates every quarter brings new features and I hate to see this kind of support broken by carelessness.
I fully expect the Pixel 11 Pro XL to launch 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 to get their hands on any fancy new features announced in August, it’s almost certain that they won’t be missing out.
Google Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL: Which one should you buy?
I’m going to hedge my bets and say that the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the better buy given the price hikes we’ve seen on new smartphones this year. Sure, the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s new processor, GPU, bigger battery, and new fancy lights on the back will be great reasons to upgrade, but I’m not sure they’ll make the price gap worth it for most people.
