Google Pixel 10 Pro XL: Not a Powerhouse, But Does it Matter?

What can we expect from the Pixel 10 Pro XL in terms of performance? Although the Tensor G5 chip is more powerful than its predecessor, it won’t make the smartphone a leader in this field.

With the launch of the Pixel 10 just hours away, benchmark results for the Pixel 10 Pro XL from AnTuTu have surfaced online. Scoring 1,140,286 points, the smartphone shows an improvement over the Pixel 9 Pro XL’s score of 983,628 points, marking a performance increase of about 15%. Such an improvement is typical from one generation to the next, although one might have hoped for more dramatic progress now that Google has shifted its chip design responsibilities to TSMC instead of Samsung. Despite an architectural change and a shift to a 3nm process technology, the new Tensor G5 chip is not expected to transform the Pixel 10 series into power behemoths.

For comparison, some Android smartphones equipped with a Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC can exceed 3,000,000 points. The Tensor G5 barely surpasses the performance of Qualcomm’s mid-range Snapdragon 7+ Gen 2 chip. The Pixel series has never been at the forefront of performance, and the upcoming models are not likely to change that scenario. However, this might not be very important.

The Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 isn’t designed to dominate on AnTuTu

Google has consistently prioritized user experience over raw power in its smartphones. Instead of aiming for the most advanced chip, the company focuses on software optimization to enhance the smoothness of the user experience. Similar to how it doesn’t equip its devices with the top market camera sensors but provides one of the best image processing technologies in the industry. With the advent of AI, the manufacturer clearly doesn’t prioritize leading the benchmarks. Its goal is to revolutionize how we use our mobile devices on a daily basis.

It is likely that Google and TSMC have focused on enhancing the AI computational power of the Tensor G5. This aspect is where the brand is putting its communication efforts and aims to attract consumers. There’s no doubt that Google is also paying close attention to the energy consumption of this chip, prioritizing battery life and heat management over achieving top scores in AnTuTu rankings.