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Pixel 9 Pro decimates Pixel 10 Pro in GPU benchmark; both far behind Galaxy S25+ and iPhone 16 Pro

We now get why Google didn't want to talk about the Tensor G5's new GPU.

By Anam Hamid

Published: Aug 21, 2025, 4:56 PM

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Pixel 10 Pro | Image Credit - Google

The Pixel 10's Tensor G5 chipset is the first Pixel chip manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC). The switch from Samsung Foundry to TSMC was expected to uplift performance, and Google was all praises for its new chipset during the unveiling, but it might not be all that it was cracked up to be, at least as far as GPU performance is concerned.

The Tensor G5 was built on a 3nm node, which is the latest generation of fabrication technology and a step up from the 4nm process used for the Tensor G4. Advanced manufacturing tech usually leads to better performance and efficiency.

Google says the Tensor G5 has a 34 percent faster CPU and a 60 percent more powerful Tensor Processing Unit (TPU). TPUs are Google-made chips that accelerate machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) tasks.

The chip features a revised CPU layout, switching from one big core, three primary cores, and four little cores to one big core, five medium cores, and two little cores.

Google claims that the Tensor G5 will make its new phones feel faster in everyday use. It also powers on-device AI features and has a new Image Signal Processor (ISP) for improved camera performance.

The company barely talked about the GPU, only mentioning that the chip featured an updated GPU IP. It said that the Pixel 10 lineup ran top games well without going into the specifics.

Rumors indicate that Google has switched from Arm’s Mali GPU to the Imagination DXT-48-1536 GPU. Google has confirmed that it lacks hardware-accelerated ray tracing, which is a tech employed by the likes of Apple and Qualcomm for realistic lighting and reflections in games.

The Pixel 10 Pro exhibited worse GPU performance than its predecessor. | Image Credit - @lafaiel on X

Benchmark results that have shown up online may explain why Google was hesitant to talk about the GPU.

X account @lafaiel says that the Pixel 10 Pro achieved a score of 3,707 in the Vulkan benchmark. This not only puts it way below top smartphones like the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus (26,333), but also below its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro, which achieved 9,023 points.

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Apparently, the GPU is running at a very low frequency, and Google has yet to update it to the latest drivers, which might explain why it scored low.

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The performance is still concerning, though, especially because Google only mentioned the GPU in passing. Potential Pixel 10 buyers can only hope that the situation will improve once the GPU is updated to the latest drivers.

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Anam Hamid is a computer scientist turned tech journalist who has a keen interest in the tech world, with a particular focus on smartphones and tablets. She has previously written for Android Headlines and has also been a ghostwriter for several tech and car publications. Anam is not a tech hoarder and believes in using her gadgets for as long as possible. She is concerned about smartphone addiction and its impact on future generations, but she also appreciates the convenience that phones have brought into our lives. Anam is excited about technological advancements like folding screens and under-display sensors, and she often wonders about the future of technology. She values the overall experience of a device more than its individual specs and admires companies that deliver durable, high-quality products. In her free time, Anam enjoys reading, scrolling through Reddit and Instagram, and occasionally refreshing her programming skills through tutorials.

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