Now that we finally know what Google’s new Tensor G5 processor is made of, it’s about time we compare it against the best in the business. For today’s benchmarking session, I’ve grabbed rival handsets to compare against the more budget-friendly $799 Pixel 10 and the top-of-the-line, $1,199 Pixel 10 Pro XL.
I don’t 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.
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The best of the entry-level flagships
Joe Maring / Android Authority
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 nets you the same chip as the far more expensive Pixel 10 Pro XL or Galaxy S25 Ultra.
However, thermal limitations and the suspected use of chip binning sometimes mean that the results aren’t always the same at the top-tier models. With that in mind, let’s see which of the big three has the best chip in the mainstream flagship price segment — anything under $900.
Starting with CPU performance via GeekBench 6 and a broader systems-level look with PCMark’s Work 3.0, it’s 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 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.
CPU performance is closer to the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 than the 8 Elite.
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’s impressive custom single-core showing and the multi-processing powerhouse Snapdragon 8 Elite phones in its price bracket. Performance is still perfectly suitable for everyday needs, but if you’re looking for the fastest flagship on a tighter budget, the Pixel 10 is not it.
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