I spent a very boring week with the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL — and I loved every second of it

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: Two-minute review

The Google Pixel 11 Pro XL, like the rest of the new Pixel 11 phones, doesn’t offer much in terms of huge upgrades over the Pixel 10 line. The Pixel 11 Pro XL’s design is only slightly altered versus that of the Pixel 10 Pro XL, with a new all-glass camera bump and an LED light in place of the temperature sensor that I’m convinced no one ever used anyway.

The new color options are fun, including the matte black, despite yours truly being bored of black phones.

Inside the 11 Pro XL is Google’s new Tensor G6 processor. Storage options start at 256GB, then double to 512GB and 1TB. With the base model doubling in storage from last year’s 128GB entry, Google didn’t lower the price to match. Instead, you’re going to pay $100 / £80 / AU$150 more than last year for the entry-level XL.

Not only does it cost more to buy a Pixel phone, but Google also dropped the base model’s memory from 16GB to 12GB (you’ll get 16GB if you choose the 512GB or 1TB storage variants). It’s unclear how much of an impact this has on the overall performance, but Google says it’s made optimizations to get more out of less memory.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL’s cameras are fantastic, as usual. There’s a new Magic Capture mode that takes the guesswork out of recording video or snapping pics of precious moments, and is surely something parents will use a lot. However, 120x Pro Zoom is more of a parlor trick than something useful. I found that, after 30x, you’re not really getting good results.

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro XL are nearly identical phones, with the XL having a larger footprint, battery, and display. As such, virtually everything I said about the 11 Pro in its review applies to the 11 Pro XL. Be sure to read my Google Pixel 11 Pro review to get a full picture of what to expect from either phone.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL: Price and availability

• Starts at $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,099 for 256GB + 12GB RAM

Google’s Pixel 11 Pro XL was announced in mid-August 2026, alongside a revamp of the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The new line started shipping on August 20.

Like the Pixel 11 Pro, the XL version is available in Canyon, Olive, Fog, and Obsidian. There’s no longer a 128GB storage option, with Google instead bumping up the starting storage amount to 256GB. Other storage options include 512GB and 1TB. The 256GB comes with 12GB of memory — a downgrade from last year’s equivalent — while the rest of the portfolio has 16GB.

Google kept the price of the 256GB model the same as last year — $1,299 / £1,279 / AU$2,099 — effectively raising the price of the 11 Pro XL by $100 / £80 / AU$150. The 512GB and 1TB models are $1,419 / £1,399 / AU$2,299 and $1,649 / £1,629 / AU$2,649, respectively.

The same base-model price hike happened across the entire Pixel 11 lineup and is becoming commonplace industry-wide. Smartphone makers like Apple, Samsung, and now Google seem to have adopted the same pricing approach, with the Pixel 11 Pro XL priced to match the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra.

Last year’s iPhone 17 Pro Max still starts at $1,199 / £1,199 / AU$2,149. However, that’s likely to change on September 9 when Apple announces the iPhone 18 line; price increases seem inevitable.

• Value score: 3 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Specs

Here’s a breakdown of the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL’s key specs:

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Design

• Nearly identical design to the Pixel 10 Pro XL
• Camera bar is all glass
• Obsidian (matte) looks great

You wouldn’t have to try very hard to convince me that Google recycled last year’s Pixel 10 Pro XL design with the Pixel 11 Pro XL. The two phones are nearly identical, with the biggest noticeable differences being an all-glass camera bump and new colors.

I’ve been using the matte black model, or Obsidian (matte) as Google refers to it, and I’m obsessed. Black phones are boring, sure, but the matte finish on every single surface of the 11 Pro XL looks really nice.

There’s a new scratchproof coating on the display glass that’s — surprise! — supposed to make it very hard to scratch. And while I haven’t been gentle with the 11 Pro XL over the last week or so, I haven’t purposely tried to scratch the screen, and I don’t plan on doing so.

The 11 Pro XL measures 162.6 x 76.2 x 7.6mm and weighs 226g. On the right side is a volume rocker with a sleep/wake/Gemini button just above it. Other than those buttons and a USB-C port on the bottom, the Pro XL’s exterior is unblemished. It’ll survive an accidental splash or two thanks to its IP68 rating.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Display

• 6.8-inch Super Actua panel
• 120Hz refresh rate
• Smooth, bright, and vivid

If you pull up Google’s phone comparison tool and look at the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s screen compared to the 10 Pro XL, you’ll be hard-pressed to find many differences. It’s still a 6.8-inch Super Actua display with a resolution of 1,334 x 2,992 and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz.

There’s that new anti-scratch coating I previously mentioned, along with a boost in HRD and peak brightness. Peak brightness now maxes out at 3,600 nits and HDR at 2,400 nits, up from 3,300 and 2,200, respectively.

The display looks sharp and is easily viewable outside on bright days. The OLED panel does a great job with both dark and bright colors, making it easy to feel as immersed as you can on a phone.

I appreciate the larger display of the Pro XL over the Pro’s smaller panel, but that’s a matter of personal preference. Both are great.

• Display score: 5 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Software

• HiLight needs a rethink
• Proactive Assistance is missing in action
• Rambler is just too cool

The Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL have the same software tricks. Android 17 is preinstalled and brings with it many Gemini features.

You can read my Google Pixel 11 Pro review for a more thorough take on the software features found in this year’s crop of the Pixel Pro models, but the gist of it is this: Proactive Assistance is still something I’ve yet to see in action. I haven’t seen a dish recommendation at a restaurant, and the conversations I’ve had in various apps have yet to trigger any sort of Gemini suggestion.

HiLight, a new notification light that takes the place of the temperature sensor in the camera bump, is pretty pointless in its current form. It only works during hands-free conversations with Gemini or when you receive an incoming call — when your phone is face down.

Rambler, the Pixel’s new voice dictation tool, feels like a step forward for voice dictation as a whole. Talk how you normally would, make mistakes, correct yourself, and stammer through your thoughts, and Rambler will make sense of it all. It’s pretty great.

• Software score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Cameras

• 50MP main camera
• 48MP ultra-wide
• 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom

The Pixel 11 Pro XL boasts three rear cameras: a 50MP main, 48MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom, and a 48MP ultra-wide.

I appreciate the larger screen on the 11 Pro XL when taking pictures simply because it’s a larger viewfinder, and it makes framing shots easier.

One thing I noticed when testing the 11 Pro XL’s 120x Pro Zoom feature is that its AI rendering powers are hit and miss.

Several photos have obvious AI-like qualities to them. For example, the smokestack I took various pictures of at different zoom levels suddenly has two ladders — one white, one black — the closer the zoom gets.

Another photo of several American flags on top of a building looks like a really bad Photoshop job, with strips placed where the stars should be, and other blatant mistakes.

I also used Pro Zoom to capture some pretty cool pics of the 96% lunar eclipse, but I’m not sure I trust what I see. Nonetheless, they look pretty darn cool.

Interestingly, to me, the photos I captured with the 11 Pro XL didn’t have the same flat look as those I snapped with the smaller 11 Pro. I’m honestly not sure what’s caused that difference; I took nearly identical pictures on both phones.

For my full thoughts on the Pixel 11 Pro’s new camera setup, including the impressive new Magic Capture feature (which automatically takes high-quality stills while you’re shooting a video), be sure to read my Google Pixel 11 Pro review.

• Camera score: 4 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Camera samples

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Performance

• Google Tensor G6 chipset
• 12GB or 16GB of memory
• 256GB starting storage

On paper, the Pixel 11 Pro XL matches a mid-range phone in the performance department. Its benchmark performance isn’t impressive; it beats out three-year-old processors but falls short of current flagship models.

For example, the Pixel 11 Pro XL’s Geekbench 6 single- and multi-core scores are 2,721 and 7,305, respectively. The same test on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 produces results of 2,625 and 8,430. So, the Pixel 11 Pro XL wins on single-core performance, but there’s a notable drop-off in multicore, which is indicative of performance during resource-heavy tasks.

But benchmarks aren’t the complete story. In my daily use with the Pixel 11 Pro XL, I haven’t run into a single performance-based issue. Apps open without delay, and bouncing between multiple apps while streaming a video in picture-in-picture mode or listening to music is a process the Pixel 11 Pro XL handles without issue.

The Pixel 11 Pro XL uses Google’s Tensor G6 chipset, and as previously mentioned, it comes with 12GB or 16GB of storage. Like the Pixel 11 Pro review sample, I received a 512GB/16GB sample of the Pixel 11 Pro XL. As such, I can’t vouch for what the experience is like on the base model.

• Performance score: 3.5 / 5

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Battery

• 5,115mAh battery
• 45W wired charging
• 25W wireless charging

The Pixel 11 Pro XL comes with a 5,115mAh battery and is capable of wired charging up to 45W. Support for the Qi2.2 standard also brings 25W wireless charging to the phone; Google claims 30 hours of battery life, and my experience has matched that with regular use.

My days start at 6am and usually end around 10pm, with lots of messages sent in several apps — Slack, BlueBubbles, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, etc. — too much doomscrolling, and plenty of interacting with Gemini.

When connected to a 65W charger, the Pixel 11 Pro XL went from completely drained to 25% in 15 minutes. At 30 minutes, it was at 49%, and it took 1 hour and 32 minutes to fully charge.

I experienced the same charging cadence with a 45W charging adapter, which I suppose is to be expected. During both of those tests, I monitored the charging output and never saw it go above 28W.

However, there’s a new Extreme Charging Mode that you can enable in the quick settings panel. When running the same charging test, going from 0-100%, the Pixel 11 Pro XL charged much, much faster.

At the 15-minute mark, it was at 38%; at 30 minutes, it was at 73%; at 1 hour and 3 minutes, it was fully charged. I recorded a peak charging speed of 38W with Extreme Charging Mode turned on, which limits background activities while your battery is below 50% to increase charging speeds.

I would love to see a permanent toggle to always have Extreme Charging Mode turned on, instead of having to enable it every time you want to use it. Hopefully that’s something Google implements in the future.

• Battery score: 4 / 5

Should you buy the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL review: Also consider

How I tested the Google Pixel 11 Pro

After wrapping up my Pixel 11 Pro review, I switched to the Pixel 11 Pro XL. The phones are nearly identical, save for the latter’s larger size, and as such, I didn’t spend as much time with the Pro XL as the standard Pro.

That said, I went through the same testing process, just in a condensed timeframe. I chatted with Gemini, took plenty of photos, texted, scrolled, and even gamed a bit.

In other words — I lived with the phone, treating it as my daily driver.

Read more about how we test here.

• First reviewed: August 2026