Everyone in the tech space is busy gossiping about the Pixel 10. Rumor has it that the upcoming Google series will sport different camera setups, maybe even a downgrade, and that the alleged color scheme will include a mixed assortment of shades across the board. But I’m not interested in any of these things. There’s only one thing on my mind.
A question that keeps bouncing off the insides of my brain is whether the Pixel 10 will finally bump the embarrassing charging speed of the Pixel 9 series. The base model Pixel 9 and mid-level Pixel 9 Pro charge at 27W, whereas the upper-tier Pixel 9 Pro XL charges at 37W wired charging speeds. None of these numbers presents Google in a positive light.
If you’re wondering why I care about charging speeds so much, it’s quite straightforward. Until battery tech is more advanced and we can get multiple days of heavy use out of a single charge, fast charging will always be relevant, and this is an area Google has fallen behind in.
How did Google let it get this far?
Truly, what’s more surprising is that Google had the gall to consistently disappoint us with the charging speeds of its flagship phones over the past few years. The Google Pixel 6 supported 21W wired charging, which isn’t a whole lot different from the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro’s 27W speed. In a span of three years, Google didn’t bother to give this sector a proper boost.
I’ve given Samsung a hard time over the S25’s outdated 25W charging speed, but at least the Galaxy S25 Plus and S25 Ultra support 45W fast charging. That’s a notable difference in contrast to the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s 37W charging speed.
How are such large brands even allowed to get away with such horrid charging specs? We celebrate these devices, award them with titles, call them the best of the best, and yet they continue to disappoint us.
Funny enough, I don’t care about the camera setup as much as I do about the charging speed anymore. Why? That’s because the Pixel family is already adept at photography and recycles old lenses anyway. We get a fantastic photography experience regardless of this fact.
I’m sure the Pixel 10 will have superb cameras, even if one of the Pixel 10 models features a downgraded primary or secondary lens. However, Google needs to pay a lot more attention to the charging speed.
What made the Pixel 9a such a big success is its reputation as the battery king. This mighty little device has a long-lasting battery that reduces the need to charge the Pixel 9a every day. Perhaps if the charging speed were faster, users wouldn’t mind having to charge more often.
Speaking from personal experience, I couldn’t go back to using the Pixel as my main device once I switched over to a OnePlus phone. The battery and charging specs are indomitable, and once you become reliant on 100W charging and an all-day battery life, it’s very hard to give it up.
I can’t imagine how awful it will look if Google actually raises the price of the Pixel 10 Pro XL by $100 but retains a lame charging speed like 37W or 40W. Will people still be interested in buying such an expensive Google Pixel phone with such lackluster charging specs? I don’t think so.
On the other hand, if Google surprises us with 50W to 60W fast charging, that rumored $100 price hike might just be worth it for a lot of people, myself included.
Best Pixel for now
The Google Pixel 9 Pro XL boasts a 5,060mAh battery that lasts all day paired with 37W wired and 23W wireless charging. Until the advent of the Pixel 10 series, this is as good as Pixel gets.
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