{"id":99343,"date":"2025-08-21T12:52:13","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T12:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/99343\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T12:52:13","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T12:52:13","slug":"googles-silence-on-the-pixel-10-gpu-is-concerning-for-gamers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/99343\/","title":{"rendered":"Google’s silence on the Pixel 10 GPU is concerning for gamers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Google has just launched the Pixel 10 phones<\/a>, and there\u2019s plenty to know about them. There are some great new AI features, a groundbreaking IP68 rating for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, and a telephoto camera for the base model.<\/p>\n

All four phones are also powered by the Tensor G5 processor<\/a>. Unfortunately, Google remains deeply silent on a major Tensor G5 feature. This makes me worried about the Pixel 10 phones, especially if you\u2019re a gamer.<\/p>\n

Pixel 10 GPU: When no news is bad news<\/p>\n

Google has said almost nothing about the Tensor G5\u2019s graphics processing unit (GPU) that modern Android games, and more, rely on to run smoothly. The company was all too happy to highlight a 34% faster CPU and 60% more powerful TPU in its briefings, but I very quickly realized that it didn\u2019t even mention the GPU. In fact, the company only mentioned the part in response to questions about it. It refused to confirm the GPU model or manufacturer, only saying that the GPU IP was \u201cupdated\u201d and that \u201cmany\u201d top games ran well in testing. It did, however, note in an emailed response to Android Authority that the GPU doesn\u2019t support ray tracing.<\/p>\n

In other words, Google is clearly trying hard to avoid talking about the Pixel 10\u2019s graphical hardware, and this has set off my alarm bells. The silence suggests one of two things: either the Pixel 10 doesn\u2019t have an improved GPU, or its graphics hardware is actually worse than that of the Pixel 9<\/a>. After all, it would be daft for a company to have a more powerful GPU and simply not say so.<\/p>\n

How important is it for mobile games to run well on your phone?<\/p>\n

58 votes<\/p>\n

It’s a top priority<\/p>\n

16%<\/p>\n

It’s one of several major considerations<\/p>\n

31%<\/p>\n

I appreciate it but it’s not a must<\/p>\n

29%<\/p>\n

I don’t care about mobile games<\/p>\n

24%<\/p>\n

Our exclusive leak<\/a> doesn\u2019t give us confidence about an upgraded GPU. We previously discovered that the Tensor G5 would offer an Imagination DXT-48-1536 GPU, but we don\u2019t know much about how it performs. The part supposedly offers GPU virtualization support for hardware-based graphical acceleration. This could be a boon for running Linux, Windows, or other platforms in a virtual machine. However, we don\u2019t know if the Tensor G5 itself will support this feature. Either way, Google\u2019s silence regarding graphical performance feels like a bad omen for consumers.<\/p>\n

Not just a bad move for benchmark apps<\/p>\n

\"google<\/p>\n

Rita El Khoury \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

A downgraded GPU compared to the Pixel 9 series would have significant real-world consequences for mobile gamers. This means some demanding titles would need to have their graphics settings turned down to run smoothly. I personally don\u2019t have a problem playing some mobile games<\/a> at low settings, but this isn\u2019t ideal when you\u2019re paying upwards of $800 for a phone. Furthermore, turning down the settings might not be a problem at the moment, but it\u2019s not a good sign if I want to play demanding games a few years from now. If I can\u2019t play War Thunder at medium or high settings on my phone, then 2027\u2019s blockbuster console ports probably won\u2019t run well, if at all.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s already at least one game that doesn\u2019t run on current Pixel phones at all. At launch, the mobile port of console title GRID Legends only supported recent Snapdragon flagship processors<\/a>. It\u2019s since picked up support for the Samsung Exynos 2400 silicon and recent flagship MediaTek chips. But guess what? It doesn\u2019t support Tensor chips at all, and we can\u2019t download it on our previous Pixel phones. Google wouldn\u2019t be helping itself in this regard if it decided to switch to an inferior or more obscure GPU.<\/p>\n

A weaker or completely different Pixel 10 GPU could be a major issue for mobile gamers.<\/p>\n

In fact, Genshin Impact\u2019s system requirements page<\/a> specifically notes that there \u201cmay be problems with the PowerVR graphics (sic).\u201d This isn\u2019t an obscure title, either, with over 100 million downloads via the Play Store. The requirement strongly suggests that I won\u2019t be able to play this game on a Pixel 10, at least not without specific developer optimizations.<\/p>\n

Genshin Impact might not be the only non-starter, either. Plenty more games and middleware might not be optimized for Imagination\/PowerVR GPUs, which have generally been restricted to low-end Android phones<\/a> in the past. After all, Diablo Immortal initially failed to run on Samsung\u2019s AMD-powered Exynos phones before the developers fixed things. So I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if Pixel 10 owners run into issues with a few other titles.<\/p>\n

Imagination GPUs also tend to play second fiddle to Qualcomm Adreno and Arm Mali graphics when it comes to emulator<\/a> support. Cutting-edge emulators for PC, Nintendo Switch, PS3, and Nintendo 3DS typically excel on Adreno graphics, followed by Arm-based GPUs. So you might be out of luck if you love tinkering with these old games on your phone. Even less demanding emulators like Dolphin typically work best on Adreno and Mali rather than PowerVR.<\/p>\n

The Pixel 10 might not be one for the gamers<\/p>\n

\"google<\/p>\n

Rita El Khoury \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

Google\u2019s silence on the Pixel 10 GPU and associated improvements really is concerning for gamers. We might ultimately have nothing to worry about, and Google could offer a very capable GPU with a good level of performance. However, it\u2019s hard to shake the feeling that we\u2019re looking at a sidegrade at best or a downgrade at worst.<\/p>\n

Even if the Pixel 10 has more powerful graphics than the Pixel 9, switching to a less popular GPU maker could still introduce significant compatibility problems. So, mobile gamers should probably wait for more info about the Pixel 10 and its new silicon before hitting that pre-order button.<\/p>\n

See price at Amazon<\/a>\"Google<\/p>\n

Google Pixel 10<\/p>\n

Very promising battery specs
6.3-inch display
Loaded with Google AI features<\/p>\n

See price at Amazon<\/a>\"Google<\/p>\n

Google Pixel 10 Pro<\/p>\n

Top-tier specs with small display
Satellite SOS
Powerful AI tools
Bright display<\/p>\n

See price at Amazon<\/a>\"Google<\/p>\n

Google Pixel 10 Pro XL<\/p>\n

Biggest non-folding Pixel phone
Best specs and AI features<\/p>\n

See price at Amazon<\/a>\"Google<\/p>\n

14%off<\/p>\n

Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold<\/p>\n

Top-tier specs
IP68 rating
6.4-inch outer and 8-inch inner displays<\/p>\n

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