Google recently released its latest smartphone lineup, the Pixel 11 series. The devices are powered by the Tensor G6 processor. The new chipset from Google is finally able to beat Apple's A-series processor. Well, this may sound like a win for Pixel fans; it's actually an embarrassing reality check.
Tensor G6 is ahead of only the Apple "A16" bionic chipset
In the Geekbench 6 test, you'll find that the Pixel 11's Tensor G6 processor is only better than the Apple A16 Bionic chip found in the iPhone 15, which was released three years ago in 2023. The iPhone 15 has a single-core score of 2,255 and a multi-core score of 5,977.
Pixel 11 and iPhone 15 benchmark comparison | Images by Image by Geekbench
In comparison, the Pixel 11 scored 2,575 in single-core testing and 6,027 in multi-core testing. The iPhone 16, which features the Apple A18 processor, scored 2,800 and 7,589 in single-core and multi-core testing, respectively.
What should Google do about the Tensor chipset?
6 Votes
Don't even think of comparing Tensor G6 with the A20 Pro chip
I'm sure that you must be curious to know how far the latest Tensor processor is behind the chipset you get in the iPhone 18 Pro. The Apple smartphone destroyed the Google phone in the raw numbers by scoring 4608 and 12266 in single-core and multi-core testing, respectively.
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The performance difference in numbers is not only limited to comparisons with the Apple processor but also with Snapdragon chipsets. The Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, which you get in the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Find X9 Ultra, and many other major competitors of the Pixel 11 phones, has scored really high in the Geekbench 6 testing. For instance, the latest Ultra model from Samsung managed to reach a score of 3619 in the single-core testing and 11010 in the multi-core testing.
Google should ditch the Tensor chip
Because of such underwhelming reports of the Tensor processor, users have been demanding that Google stop using it in the Pixel phones. You will find plenty of posts and comments on online community forums like Reddit with users basically calling out Google to stop using the Tensor chips in its phones. Under a relevant Reddit post, one user commented that they are really disappointed by the poor performance of the Tensor processor.
User talking about poor performance of Tensor chip. | Image by Reddit
Another user mentioned that they would have compromised on the mediocre performance of the Tensor chipset if using it had resulted in excellent battery life for the smartphones, but that isn't the case. According to them, the Pixel 10 Pro XL's battery life is worse than its predecessor's despite having a 200 mAh bigger cell.
Geekbench score doesn't tell the full story
The iPhone 16 beating the latest Pixel 11 in the Geekbench score doesn't confirm that the former is a better smartphone than the latter. Plenty of other factors, like software optimization, thermal management, and battery efficiency, also play a major role in determining which device is better. Despite getting defeated by the iPhone 16 in the Geekbench scores, I am pretty certain that the Pixel 11 could easily outperform the iPhone in day-to-day tasks.
From what I understand, a chip scoring higher in such online tests is usually better at handling resource-demanding applications like games or video editing software. And it is well established that Pixel phones are definitely not great for gaming, even when compared to years-old iPhones. So, a big gap between the scores achieved by the latest Pixel and years-old iPhones is quite understandable.
But the main concern is the pricing, as the latest Pixel phones are available at the same price as the latest iPhones, despite delivering poor performance under heavy usage. I, personally, believe Google should either start using Snapdragon processors or, if it wants to continue with Tensor, it should reduce its smartphone prices. That's because, if you are spending $1,000 on a phone, you would want it to excel in all departments, which includes gaming, video editing, and other resource-demanding stuff as well, and iPhones have been constantly doing that, unlike the Pixels.
Aman Kumar is a news writer at PhoneArena covering Google Pixel phones, Android features, AI-powered smartphone tools, and mobile tech news. Before joining PhoneArena, he spent over five years writing about consumer technology for publications like MakeUseOf, How-To Geek, and Guiding Tech. His current daily drivers are the Pixel 10 and Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus, while his red iPhone SE (2nd gen) remains a personal favorite. Aman also appreciates bold smartphone experiments and still considers the Nokia N-Gage one of the industry’s most iconic designs.
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