Pixels: love them or hate them, Google phones are here to stay. For now. You never know with Google and their love of shutting down their own projects. I mean, a quick roll in “Killed by Google” digital graveyard is enough; you’ll see what I’m talking about.

However, the Google phone of 2025 – namely the Pixel 10 – will be a thing. It will happen and it will bring with it a brand new chipset, called Tensor G5.

Back in July, we talked about how this Tensor G5 chip got its design finished and ready for production at TSMC using its advanced second-generation 3nm N3E process. We hope(d) that this chip will provide a big upgrade, as Pixel fans have been waiting a long time for a competitive, in-house (designed by Google itself) processor.

While previous Pixel models start with Pixel 6used custom Exynos chips that struggled with performance and network issues due to substandard modems, Google is aiming the Tensor G5 to compete with leading chip makers like Qualcomm and Apple.

Some rumors even claimed that Tensor G6 will also be manufactured by TSMC using advanced 3nm class technology. This shift from Samsung, whose chips were often criticized for poor battery life and performance, signals a strategic upgrade.

Yes, but…

Will the Tensor G5 even be that powerful?

Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 7 Pro. | Image credit – PhoneArena

As my colleague Anam observed, one of the biggest challenges holding back Google’s Pixel smartphones has been the performance of their custom Tensor chipsets, which still lag behind Apple’s A-series processors and Qualcomm’s top Snapdragon chips.

Hence the high hopes for the Tensor G5 and its prospects of leveling the playing field with other flagship devices. But recently leaked benchmark results suggest that the Pixel 10 may offer only modest improvements, with performance similar to the current one Pixel 9.

The leaked benchmarks come from the Geekbench platform, where a leaker spotted what appears to be the Tensor G5 inside the base model of the Pixel 10, codenamed “Frankel.” According to the tests performed, the Pixel 10’s single-core score of 1,323 and multi-core score of 4,004 are, ahem, below expectations. For comparison Pixel 9 scored 1,800 in single-core and 4,573 in multi-core tests, meaning the new chip may not be the upgrade many had hoped for.

Of course, the Tensor G5 is still far from being materialized and mass produced; further tweaks and optimizations will make it the pinnacle of Tensor G4. But so what? Will the G5 be much, much better than the G4? Or are we possibly getting a marginal upgrade in performance at best? Not a pleasant thought now that I think about it.

For reference, the Snapdragon 8 Elite (the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 successor) is claimed by Qualcomm to be much better than the previous model. The first Oryon mobile CPU core provides a significant 45% increase in performance along with a 44% improvement in energy efficiency. The Adreno GPU also impresses, delivering a 40% boost in performance and matching that with a 40% gain in efficiency. Qualcomm reports a total system-wide energy savings of 27%. The Oryon CPU cores reach a maximum clock speed of 4.32 GHz.

Infographic for the application processor Snapdragon 8 Elite. | Image credit – Qualcomm

Speaking of CPU cores, the Tensor G5 is expected to have a primary Cortex-X4 core clocked at 3.40GHz, along with five Cortex-A725 cores running at 2.86GHz and two Cortex-A520 cores at 2, 44 GHz.

This architecture shows incremental upgrades over the Tensor G4, which drives Pixel 9 with a slightly different configuration.

If anyone thinks that the Tensor G5 might not be able to achieve the same speeds as the latest chips from Apple and Qualcomm… well, they might be right. While speed has never been Google’s top priority for its in-house chips, the hope was that the G5 could bring the Pixel closer to its competition.

On the other hand, the Tensor G5 is rumored to include a robust GPU upgrade, which could make Pixel phones better suited for gaming. Previous models have also struggled to try and keep up in that area as well.

If these upgrades could result in longer battery life and cooler operation, even if peak processing speeds remain below flagship levels, that could mean a lot to mobile gamers.

In the words of Shania Twain…

Image Credit – Kaboompics.com, Pexels.com

“So, you’re a gaming flagship? That doesn’t impress me that much!”, as Shania Twain would have sung, if she were singing about 2025 smartphones made by Google.

That’s my point too. Pixel 10 with Tensor G5 can provide a truly amazing gaming experience thanks to upgrades here and there, but… I find it hard to react with anything other than “So what?”

If Google insists on its $100 annual price increase, things will become even more frustrating (the Pixel 9 starting at $799, the Pixel 8 started at $699, and Pixel 6 – USD 599).

I may not be a gamer, but even if I were, I would simply get a Snapdragon 8 Elite phone, or get the latest iPhone Pro Max, or something with a MediaTek 9400 Inside. You know, this is how I would get both a reliable, lightning-fast phone and a great gaming platform. It’s simple.