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For whatever reason, we have two flagship-level OnePlus releases in a single year, but it asks more questions than it answers. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a phone that compromises in similar ways to the OnePlus 15. Just how do they compare?
Hardware and design
What’s interesting is how similar these two phones feel. The dimensions are eerily similar. Not quite the same, but if you were to switch between them – caseless – they have something in common, and it doesn’t stop at the flat sides. There is an assured thickness to the designs of both of these devices, and that is something that more Android phones could and should take heed of. I personally prefer the stealthy black finish of the OnePlus 15 over the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s Moonstone, but that is all down to personal preference.
OnePlus switching from a 120Hz screen to a 165Hz OLED has made little real-world difference to how fast or fluid the phone feels in my own experience. It’s not quite as high resolution, as some limitations mean it has to be marginally lower in resolution. Yes, you can sort of see a dip when you compare directly to the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s screen. In isolation, it’s plenty sharp, gets ridiculously bright, and the tiny bezels make up for that marginal resolution dip. I haven’t felt disappointed, put it that way. I am confused why the company did this, as it feels very minimal in terms of hardware evolution.
Removing the alert slider is one of those changes that feels strange for such a fan favorite. I’m torn as the new “Plus Key” has more usability options. Nothing major, just a few presets that will hopefully develop over time. For now, it does a bit more than the alert slider ever could without extra software. I would like to see how Google would implement a similar programmable button. I like that I can hold it to turn on the torch, but it’s still pretty basic stuff at launch.
Conversely, you don’t get a functional button but a more functional accessory ecosystem with Magsafe or Pixelsnap on the Pixel 10 Pro XL. OnePlus has avoided it for another year and sticks with an official magnetic case system to address the lack of in-body Magsafe.
Software and performance
If you want all the best internals on a modern smartphone, look no further than the OnePlus 15. Currently, no other major phone maker has Qualcomm’s latest chip on board. Yes, it’s a beast. It powers through anything I can think of doing on a phone. You have a lot of overhead, and that is great if you care about it.
All of the games you expect to work will fly, using local processing in apps like cobalt.tools indicates just how far ahead the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 is over the Tensor G5 processor. It can process video and photos almost instantly. There is likely no time you’ll see slowdowns when putting the OnePlus 15 through its paces. It’s not quite as rosy on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
Sadly, OnePlus has taken heed of Apple’s disaster-class design with Liquid Glass and added some aspects to OxygenOS 16. It detracts from an otherwise excellent return to form compared to the previous version. While the Pixel 10 Pro XL may never be able to match the raw power and performance of the OnePlus 15, it certainly surpasses it in the software department.
Optimization is better, the visuals are more cohesive, and Google isn’t trying to emulate Apple’s iOS. If only OnePlus had opted to lean into Material 3 Expressive, we wouldn’t have such an annoying halfway house visual mismatch. That does diminish the experience somewhat. OnePlus has done a great job with some performance-related optimizations again, so that anyone who cares about opening and closing 200 apps back-to-back will be thrilled. Personally, I’ll take what the Pixel offers in day-to-day experience, as, despite the significant performance gap, it sure feels fluid.
That’s not even mentioning the update rate that favors Google’s first-party Pixel hardware. We’re on the cusp of another QPR release, which will likely leave the OnePlus 15 further behind in terms of software updates, and the phone won’t receive as many monthly patches either.
It boils down to software cadence and care or pure power and lesser support. Which you prefer is ultimately up to you.
Battery and charging
Without sugarcoating things, the Pixel 10 Pro XL isn’t even visible when we look at the longevity picture versus the OnePlus 15. It can’t compete with the OnePlus 13, so with a frankly tablet-sized 7,300mAh internal cell, the OnePlus 15 is in a league of its own.
There are going to be people who can eke out three days from the OnePlus 15. Charging takes mere minutes. Less than 40 to go from 0-100% with the 100W or 120W power brick. It’s very, very fast, and charging less frequently means the battery doesn’t degrade quite as fast.
Where the Pixel 10 Pro XL could have the edge is the addition of true Qi2 charging. You can attach to magnetic charging systems, accessories, and all those epic Magsafe add-ons. 45W charging isn’t exactly fast, but it’s at least better than it was in the past. Just don’t expect multiple days of lifespan.
Camera
OnePlus no longer has Hasselblad to help out with camera tuning; that is reserved for Oppo flagship devices. The new image engine still benefits from the previous work, but some of the hardware downgrades feel like cost-cutting measures in ways that inhibit the OnePlus 15 compared to other high-end phones.
For stills, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is a little more consistent, and it shows with any moving subjects. It’s one of the key selling points of a Pixel. That said, even with a few changes to the setup, the OnePlus 15 has a fairly decent camera system. I have been really quite impressed with the zoom quality, especially at close range. IN many cases, the OnePlus 15 is arguably sharper and more accurate than the Pixel 10 Pro XL with less noise if the lighting isn’t great.
In fact, colors are more pleasing to my eye. Warmer images with good contrast are a trademark of the OnePlus 15 camera system. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is a little clinical in comparison. It’s a toss-up which you prefer, but credit where it’s due, the OnePlus has a very solid setup.
Pixel 10 Pro XL or OnePlus 15: Just which is the better late-2025 Android phone?
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Some of the choices made by OnePlus are flabbergasting. This is a good phone that doesn’t build on its predecessor enough. However, that predecessor was one of the best phones of the previous 12 months, which is why it feels like the company has fallen over the finish line rather than burst through.
Meanwhile, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is another good phone that has merits in many other areas. It’s almost universally disliked among hardware Android fan circles because it can’t do some things as well as the rest. Those complaints are founded, given that Google wants to compete at the top end of the market.
The OnePlus 15 is a timely reminder that compromising after doing well is not something you can do in this space. It has some good changes and some baffling changes. The lack of Hasselblad tuning does hinder the camera experience to some extent, nothing drastic at this stage, but nowhere near as much as some of the camera sensor changes. It feels like a turn to make a phone that is aimed more at those who care about mobile gaming, and recent marketing campaigns allude to this change.
Google’s holistic approach to smartphones may not be for everyone. The saving grace for OnePlus is that some misteps or misfires are accounted for with a lower start price. It’s nudging closer to the Pixel, but it’s fairer for that overall package you get. The good news is that the OnePlus 13 is now going to start getting deep discounts, and Google has dropped sales on the Pixel 10 a few times already.
Two phones that are diametrically opposed but come together for different reasons. Held back in one way or another, but still decent enough to consider.
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