Expected improvements include minor GPU upgrades and possible use of Android 16.
Google’s much-anticipated Pixel 10 series may still be a year away, but recent leaks are already stirring excitement about its capabilities.
The spotlight is on its alleged Tensor G5 chipset, rumored to feature only modest upgrades, particularly in GPU performance, and possibly to run on Android 16 out-of-the-box.
Benchmarking the Google Tensor G5 Chipset
A new benchmark leak reveals the specifications of the Tensor G5 chipset, codenamed “Frankel,” expected to power the Pixel 10 series.
Listed on the Geekbench browser, the SoC reportedly includes eight cores: a primary 3.4GHz core, five mid-cores at 2.86GHz, and two smaller cores clocked at 2.44GHz.
It appears the chipset will use ARMv8 architecture and come with around 11GB of RAM.
The benchmark test showed the Tensor G5 scoring 1,323 in single-core and 4,004 in multi-core performance on Geekbench 6.3.0.
While promising, these scores fall short compared to its predecessor, the Tensor G4, which achieved higher marks on both tests, as noted by tech sources like Gadgets 360.
Potential Software: Android 16 on the Horizon
The leak also hints at the Pixel 10 series launching with Android 16, in line with Google’s confirmed development timeline.
Although the Tensor G5 was tested with Android 15, the expected 2024 release of the Pixel 10 suggests Android 16 will come pre-installed, marking the Pixel 10 as one of the first devices to use Google’s upcoming OS.
Graphics Architecture Lags Behind Competitors
In terms of GPU, the Tensor G5 may adopt Imagination Technologies’ PowerVR DXT architecture, focusing on improved graphical performance.
Reports suggest a two-core DXT-48-1536 GPU running at 1.1GHz, supporting advanced features like scalable ray tracing and Fragment Shading Rate.
However, Android Authority warns that it still lags behind the market’s fastest GPUs, such as the Adreno 830 on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC.
In all, the Tensor G5 SoC appears set to offer refined processing power but may not drastically outshine its predecessors in GPU performance, positioning the Pixel 10 as a balanced yet conservative upgrade.
