{"id":36980,"date":"2025-09-01T18:00:13","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T18:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/36980\/"},"modified":"2025-09-01T18:00:13","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T18:00:13","slug":"google-pixel-10-and-pixel-10-pro-xl-benchmarked-against-the-best-phones","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/36980\/","title":{"rendered":"Google Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro XL benchmarked against the best phones"},"content":{"rendered":"

Now that we finally know what Google\u2019s new Tensor G5 processor<\/a> is made of, it\u2019s about time we compare it against the best in the business. For today\u2019s benchmarking session, I\u2019ve grabbed rival handsets to compare against the more budget-friendly $799 Pixel 10<\/a> and the top-of-the-line, $1,199 Pixel 10 Pro XL<\/a>.<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t think anyone has particularly high hopes that the Pixel 10 series is going to contend for the performance crown. Google is far more focused on AI and features than traditional performance metrics, and has been for countless Pixel generations. Still, how far behind the Tensor G5 places is an important question, especially when spending upwards of $799 on a new phone.<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t want to miss the best from Android Authority?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best of the entry-level flagships<\/p>\n

\"Someone<\/p>\n

Joe Maring \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

One of the interesting things about modern smartphones, unlike a lot of other gadgets, is that the same processor can often be bought at multiple price points. For example, spending $799 on the Google Pixel 10 or Galaxy S25<\/a> nets you the same chip as the far more expensive Pixel 10 Pro XL or Galaxy S25 Ultra<\/a>.<\/p>\n

However, thermal limitations and the suspected use of chip binning sometimes mean that the results aren\u2019t always the same at the top-tier models. With that in mind, let\u2019s see which of the big three has the best chip in the mainstream flagship price segment \u2014 anything under $900.<\/p>\n

\"Pixel\"Pixel<\/p>\n

Starting with CPU performance via GeekBench 6 and a broader systems-level look with PCMark\u2019s Work 3.0, it\u2019s clear that the Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 sits at the bottom of the pack, even at this price point. It trades blows with the Nothing Phone 3<\/a> and its Snapdragon 8s Gen 4, eeking out a small advantage in single-core workloads but trailing slightly in multi-core scores. The two are pretty much neck and neck in our PCMark test, suggesting that the two phones will feel roughly as responsive in daily workloads, from document drafting to video editing.<\/p>\n

CPU performance is closer to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 than the 8 Elite.<\/p>\n

This result is hardly surprising, given that the two chips share a Cortex-X4 big core, albeit with higher clocks on the Pixel, and a middle-heavy CPU setup. However, the Pixel 10 sits some way behind the iPhone 16\u2019s impressive custom single-core showing and the multi-processing powerhouse Snapdragon 8 Elite<\/a> phones in its price bracket. Performance is still perfectly suitable for everyday needs, but if you\u2019re looking for the fastest flagship on a tighter budget, the Pixel 10 is not it.<\/p>\n

\"Pixel<\/p>\n

The Pixel 10\u2019s fortunes are equally unfavorable when it comes to our graphics test, courtesy of 3DMark\u2019s Wild Life Extreme Stress Test. While the Tensor G5\u2019s new PowerVR GPU helps it temporarily close the gap with Apple\u2019s poorly sustained 5-core custom GPU, the processor can\u2019t maintain its peak performance for very long either, leaving it far at the bottom of the pile after a 20-minute run. In fact, the Pixel 10\u2019s stability scores are worse than last year, with performance ending in roughly the same ballpark by the end of our stress test.<\/p>\n

Even the Nothing Phone 3\u2019s \u201cnot-quite-flagship\u201d Adreno 825 GPU has the Pixel 10 handily beaten, though it does have the benefit of a larger chassis to assist with cooling. Still, the Pixel 10 is satisfactory for a spot of light gaming, but it is still far behind the leading 8 Elite phones for those longer play sessions, demanding emulators, and top-tier graphics settings.<\/p>\n

The best of the best benchmarked<\/p>\n

\"Pixel<\/p>\n

Robert Triggs \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

If money is no object, the very top of smartphones have additional cooling and memory that can, in theory, extend their peak and sustained performance a little further than their compact siblings. But when you\u2019re spending over $1,000, gaming phones like the ASUS ROG Phone 9 Pro also enter the mix, which allow gamers to run the latest flagship silicon virtually flat out if required. If the little Pixel 10 struggled to compete, just how far away does the XL land from the very best?<\/p>\n

\"Pixel\"Pixel<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, for the Pixel 10 Pro XL, it is the same story as the smaller model. Despite its higher clock speeds and more aggressive middle-core CPU arrangement over last year, the Tensor G5\u2019s older Arm Cortex CPU cores can\u2019t catch the beefier custom cores designed by Apple and Qualcomm. A roughly 30% performance difference is not a gap that Pixel will be making up even in the next generation or two, especially given that next-gen chips from its rivals are right around the corner.<\/p>\n

A frame of reference is essential, however, and just because the Pixel 10 Pro XL sits at the bottom of this year\u2019s flagship benchmarks doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s not suitable for some demanding daily workloads. My unit has flown through my multi-tasking needs without issue, and even Google\u2019s older models perform well as a drop-in PC replacement. Still, when you\u2019re thinking about a purchase to last the next five, six, or seven years, and with Android poised to move into the desktop space<\/a>, other smartphones are undouidbly more futureproof from a raw performance perspective.<\/p>\n

\"Pixel<\/p>\n

Temperatures and stability are again the Pixel 10 Pro XL\u2019s Achilles heel for gaming. Its toasty peak temperature of 44.4\u00b0C isn\u2019t as bad as the Xiaomi 15 Ultra\u2019s 46.9\u00b0C or the ROG\u2019s 48\u00b0C in X-Mode, in our extreme stress test. Likewise, its 60% stability score bests the miserable 52% stability result the Galaxy S25 Ultra scored. However, the low starting point means that even phones sporting the rather hot Snapdragon 8 Elite can outlast Google\u2019s most powerful flagship under more intensive gaming sessions.<\/p>\n

The Pixel 10 Pro XL isn\u2019t a hot phone, but it\u2019s not cool either. The benefits of its new TSMC 3nm manufacturing node have clearly been used to push clock speeds and performance higher, rather than focusing on lower power and thermals. That\u2019s not strictly a bad thing, but it all goes to show that Google\u2019s latest Tensor G5 is trying hard just to keep up rather than seriously challenging the fastest mobile silicon that money can buy.<\/p>\n

What does this mean for the Pixel 10 series?<\/p>\n

\"Google<\/p>\n

Robert Triggs \/ Android Authority<\/p>\n

This story will feel familiar to Pixel fans. Every year, we have to debate whether Google\u2019s focus on AI features and unique tools is worth the performance deficit compared to other flagship phones at the same price. Unfortunately, the Pixel 10 series is no different.<\/p>\n

Personally, I think the Tensor G5 is a perfect fit for the baseline Pixel 10. It\u2019s in the mix with some other good buys in and around this price point, such as the Galaxy S24 FE and Nothing Phone 3. These phones also don\u2019t quite offer top-tier benchmark results, but still provide performance that would have been considered top-of-the-line just a couple of years ago. That\u2019s undoubtedly good enough at $799, especially when paired with the phone\u2019s impressive AI capabilities and a new 5x telephoto camera that gives it more than enough advantages to make up for its benchmark standings.<\/p>\n

How do you feel about the Pixel 10’s performance?<\/p>\n

143 votes<\/p>\n

It’s great.<\/p>\n

9%<\/p>\n

It’s fine.<\/p>\n

30%<\/p>\n

I’m disapointed.<\/p>\n

50%<\/p>\n

Doesn’t matter to me.<\/p>\n

11%<\/p>\n

The performance argument is tougher to make for the Pixel 10 Pro and 10 Pro XL. If you\u2019re really banking on using Google\u2019s AI tools and enhanced photography capabilities, then they\u2019re still fine buys as their performance is more than ample for other daily tasks too. However, if you\u2019re looking for a powerhouse phone for powerhouse use cases, such as gaming on the go, then you might be better off with rivals like the Galaxy S25 Ultra.<\/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

Thank you for being part of our community. Read our\u00a0Comment Policy<\/a> before posting.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Now that we finally know what Google\u2019s new Tensor G5 processor is made of, it\u2019s about time we…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":36981,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[257],"tags":[26327,18,5755,19,17,279,28689,10041,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-36980","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mobile","8":"tag-apple-iphone-16","9":"tag-eire","10":"tag-google-pixel-10","11":"tag-ie","12":"tag-ireland","13":"tag-mobile","14":"tag-oneplus-13","15":"tag-samsung-galaxy-s25","16":"tag-technology"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36980","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36980"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36980\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36981"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36980"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36980"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36980"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}