Google Pixel 11 vs. Pixel 10: Should you upgrade this year?

The Pixel 10 is already on shelves, but information about the Pixel 11 keeps piling up. If you bought a Pixel 10 last year, or you’re still deciding on a new phone, this guide breaks down everything we know so far.

Pixel 11 vs Pixel 10 at a glance

Pixel 11 Pro XL vs Pixel 10 Pro XL

Pixel 11 Pro Fold vs Pixel 10 Pro Fold

Google hasn’t confirmed a single Pixel 11 spec yet. Everything else here is based on speculations, mainly a Telegram post from a leaker called Mystic Leaks that surfaced on May 4, 2026, along with render images shared by OnLeaks. We’ve tagged every Pixel 11 detail as speculation, so you know exactly what to trust and what to treat as a rumour.

Here’s how the two phones compare.

Here’s a closer look at what’s different between the two phones.

The Pixel 10’s screen measures 6.3 inches, with a resolution of 1080 by 2424 and a refresh rate ranging from 60 to 120Hz. Peak brightness tops out at 3,000 nits. The Pixel 11 looks set to keep the same screen size and resolution, but leaks suggest a small brightness bump, peaking at around 3,100 nits.

Renders shared by OnLeaks, via Android Headlines, show a few changes on the outside. The camera bar switches to an all-glass, single-tone look instead of the two-tone aluminium strip on the Pixel 10. The bezels look thinner, too, and the body is rumoured to be about 0.1mm thinner overall.

One thing missing from the back of the Pixel 11: the infrared temperature sensor. Google is reportedly removing it from every model to make room for a new feature called Pixel Glow.

The Pixel 10 already has three rear cameras. There’s a 48MP main lens, a 13MP ultrawide, and a 10.8MP telephoto with 5x zoom. The Pixel 11 is rumoured to get a new 50MP main sensor, internally codenamed chemosh, which would mark the first hardware change to the base model’s main camera in a while.

Leaks haven’t confirmed details for the ultrawide or telephoto lens, and there’s no sign the base Pixel 11 will get the camera upgrades rumoured for the Pro models. Most of the camera gains this year are expected to come from software, such as an upgraded Cinematic Blur mode and new AI video tools running on the Tensor G6 chip.

The Pixel 10 runs on Google’s Tensor G5 chip, built on a 3nm process, paired with a Samsung Exynos modem. The Pixel 11 is rumoured to switch to the Tensor G6, built on a smaller 2nm process, and swap the Samsung modem for a MediaTek M90. If that holds, it would be the first Pixel phone without a Samsung modem, which could help with the connection issues some Pixel owners have reported over the years.

There’s one catch worth watching. Android Authority points out that the Tensor G6’s new GPU appears to be based on older 2021-era graphics architecture, so gaming performance gains might be smaller than expected.

Then there’s the RAM question. The Pixel 10 ships with 12GB of RAM across the board. Leaks suggest the Pixel 11 base model could drop to 8GB, with 12GB only available on higher storage tiers. Even the leaker who posted this detail marked it with a question mark, so treat it as a possible downgrade rather than a confirmed one. The timing lines up with a global memory chip shortage that’s pushing manufacturers toward cheaper RAM configurations in 2026.

The Pixel 10 has a 4,970mAh battery, and it charges at 29W over a cable or 15W wirelessly with Qi2. Leaks put the Pixel 11’s battery at 4,840mAh, about 130mAh smaller. Charging numbers haven’t leaked yet, so we’re assuming Qi2 wireless charging carries over until Google says otherwise.

A smaller battery alongside a possible RAM cut means the Pixel 11 will need the new chip’s efficiency gains to hold onto similar battery life.

Google announced Gemini Intelligence at The Android Show on May 12, 2026. To use it, a phone needs a Gemini Nano v3 flagship-level chip, at least 12GB of RAM, and several years of guaranteed software updates. The Pixel 10 meets every one of these, so it already has access to Gemini’s full AI features.

This is where the RAM rumour gets interesting. If the base Pixel 11 really does ship with 8GB of RAM, it would fall short of Google’s own 12GB requirement and miss out on Gemini Intelligence entirely. 9to5Google has pointed out that this makes the 8GB leak look shaky, since locking the cheapest Pixel 11 out of Google’s headline AI feature would be an odd move. Treat this as an open question rather than a settled fact, since nothing here has been confirmed by Google.

Pixel Glow is the other big addition. It’s an RGB LED light built into the camera bar that replaces the old infrared temperature sensor, and it lights up during AI activity or when your phone is face down to show notifications. Leaks suggest every Pixel 11 model gets it, including the base phone. Since Pixel Glow needs new LED hardware, it’s unlikely to reach the Pixel 10 through a software update.

The Pixel 10 launched at $799. Pricing for the Pixel 11 hasn’t leaked in any concrete way, but most outlets expect it to start near $799, too, with some predicting a $50 to $100 increase.

A few things make a price increase likely this year. Memory chip prices have jumped by close to 70% since early 2025, and the cost of building phones has risen by double digits across the board. Samsung already raised the price of its Galaxy S26 by $100 compared to the S25, while Apple kept iPhone 17 pricing flat. Google hasn’t said which path it’ll take, and as of late June 2026, Pixel prices haven’t officially changed.

Google announced the Pixel 10 on August 20, 2025, and it went on sale eight days later. The Pixel 10 Pro Fold followed in October.

Based on that pattern, the main Pixel 11 lineup is expected to launch in mid to late August 2026 at a Made by Google event. The Pixel 11 Pro Fold is expected to follow separately around October 2026, the same gap as last year.

Google hasn’t sent out an official date or event invite yet. Its I/O event in May didn’t include a Pixel 11 reveal either.

The tables below cover the rest of the lineup. Google Pixel 10 columns are confirmed by Google. Google Pixel 11 columns come from leaks and haven’t been confirmed.

Most Pixel 10 owners should sit this one out. The changes are small, and both Tom’s Guide and PhoneArena suggest waiting for the Pixel 12, which is expected to bring a bigger redesign in 2027.

The Pixel 11 makes more sense if you fall into one of these groups:

If you want flagship AI features without paying for a brand new phone, a discounted Pixel 10 is also worth a look. It already qualifies for Gemini Intelligence today.

The overall picture is mixed. The battery is a bit smaller. The base RAM might be cut, and the new GPU might not bring much of a speed boost. The Pixel 11 leans on software and AI improvements rather than raw hardware power this year.