Google Store Cuts Pixel 10 Pro 128GB to $699 as Pixel 11 Nears Aug. 12

Q: Is the deeply discounted Pixel 10 Pro a smarter buy than the upcoming, potentially compromised Pixel 11?

Yes—for most buyers, the discounted Pixel 10 Pro is the smarter buy right now. At $699 for the 128GB Pixel 10 Pro, or $749 for other variants, it offers flagship hardware at a steep discount just weeks before the Pixel 11 launch. It also has a clearer value proposition: the Pixel 10 Pro already meets Google’s current high-end AI requirements, with enough RAM for Gemini Intelligence, and it is promised Android and security updates through 2032. That gives buyers a long support window on a phone that is already proven. The case for waiting on the Pixel 11 is real but narrower. Rumors point to meaningful upgrades, especially a new Tensor G6 chip and a switch to a MediaTek modem that could finally improve Pixel’s long-criticized heat and connectivity issues. Those changes may matter more than raw speed, and the Pro models are also expected to gain newer camera hardware and more base storage. But the risks are also clearer this year. Leaks suggest the standard Pixel 11 could start with 8GB of RAM, potentially falling short of Google’s own flagship AI platform requirements. Pricing may also rise in practice if Google drops the 128GB option and starts at 256GB. If that happens, buyers would pay more for a phone that may still involve trade-offs. So if you want the best value and a safer bet today, the Pixel 10 Pro is the stronger purchase. Waiting makes more sense only if the Pixel 11’s modem and efficiency upgrades are your top priority, especially on the Pro models.

Q: Will Google launch a flagship Pixel 11 that's too weak to run its own premier AI platform?

Yes—if current leaks are accurate, the base Pixel 11 could launch without enough memory to run Google’s top-tier on-device AI experience, even if the Pro models can. The key issue is not the processor so much as RAM. Google’s Gemini Intelligence platform is reported to require at least 12GB of RAM, along with a flagship-class chip and support for newer Gemini Nano models. The rumored Tensor G6 in the Pixel 11 should satisfy the chip side of that equation: it is expected to be built on TSMC’s 2nm process and designed to improve efficiency, thermals and AI performance. But multiple reports point to a possible 8GB RAM version of the standard Pixel 11. If that happens, that model would fall below Google’s own stated threshold for Gemini Intelligence. By contrast, the Pixel 10 line already meets the 12GB minimum, which makes the current Best Buy discounts more notable: the outgoing phones may remain better positioned for Google’s flagship AI than the cheapest new Pixel 11. The likely explanation is cost pressure. A global memory shortage has pushed up DRAM prices, and Google may be trying to hold the Pixel 11’s entry price steady by trimming RAM on the base model. The Pro, Pro XL and Fold variants are still expected to offer 12GB or more, so they would likely support Gemini Intelligence. Until Google confirms final specs at its expected August launch, the risk is real: the standard Pixel 11 may be a flagship in name, but not for Google’s premier AI.

3 articles · Updated · 9to5Google · Jul 12

$300 off drops the 128GB Pixel 10 Pro in Obsidian to $699 at the US Google Store, the deepest official discount yet and $50 below its Prime Day price.
Google has not explained why only that variant got the extra cut, though the timing points to inventory clearance before the Pixel 11 announcement set for Aug. 12.
Other Pixel 10 Pro and Pro XL models remain $250 off at Google and Amazon, while the base Pixel 10 is discounted by $200 to $599.
Stock is already tightening: Porcelain is sold out with a waitlist, some other color-storage combinations are unavailable, and the sale runs through July 26.