Pixel 10 Pro vs iPhone: Why I’m Still Not Switching

The Pixel 10 Pro was supposed to be Google’s breakthrough in performance, powered by the long-awaited Tensor G5 built on TSMC’s 3nm process. Hopes were high, but reality paints a different picture: the phone still falls behind Apple and Samsung’s top models, and even struggles against last year’s Pixels in certain GPU tests.

On paper, the CPU uplift is real – benchmarks show a 34% improvement that aligns with Google’s promises.

But when compared to devices like the iPhone 14 Pro or Galaxy S24, both older flagships, the Pixel 10 Pro still trails. The GPU is the real weak point: despite its new silicon, it performs closer to a Galaxy S23 than to the current-gen Galaxy S25 or iPhone 16 Pro. For everyday use, the Pixel 10 Pro feels smooth, but gamers and power users will quickly notice its ceiling.

And yet, performance isn’t the only barrier. Google’s ecosystem is open and accessible from anywhere – including Apple devices. Gmail, Calendar, Maps, and even Chrome integrate seamlessly with iOS and macOS. Switching to a Pixel doesn’t add much value if you already live comfortably within Google’s ecosystem on Apple hardware. Meanwhile, Apple’s Continuity, Handoff, AirDrop, and Universal Clipboard still have no truly seamless Android counterparts, making iPhones stickier for those used to that integration.

None of this means the Pixel 10 Pro is a bad phone. For Android users, it’s a feature-rich flagship with Google’s best AI smarts yet. But as an iPhone user, the Pixel doesn’t offer enough to justify leaving Apple’s ecosystem, especially when performance still lags behind. The Pixel 10 Pro is proof of Google’s growing hardware ambitions, but it hasn’t closed the gap that would make switching worthwhile.

Competition remains healthy, though. Apple still has catching up to do in AI, while Google needs to polish its hardware consistency. For now, the Pixel 10 Pro feels like an exciting step forward for Android users, but not nearly compelling enough to pull someone away from the iPhone.