C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
We’re less than two months out from when we expect Google to launch the Pixel 10 series, and yesterday, we saw one of the most significant leaks yet. Android Headlines published “official” specifications for the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, and assuming they’re accurate, they paint a worrying picture for this year’s Pro Pixel phones.
It’s not that the specs are bad, per se, but they’re virtually identical to the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL. The display specifications remain unchanged, the cameras are identical to last year’s phones, and the RAM is untouched, too. There’s a modest increase in battery capacity (~100mAh more) for each phone, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL now starts at 256GB of storage, up from 128GB.
If this is true, it means the single biggest difference between the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro will be the chipset. Google’s Tensor G5 is expected to be a significant release, and if it’s as good as we think it could be, the rest of the spec sheet might not matter so much. But if this year’s Tensor chip isn’t a complete success, we could be looking at one of the most underwhelming Pixel releases in years.
How important do you think the Tensor G5 is to the Pixel 10 Pro? 107 votes It's the main reason I'm interested in the Pixel 10 Pro. 48 % I hope the G5 is good, but I don't think it's that big of a deal. 41 % I don't care about the G5, I'm looking forward to the Pixel 10 Pro for another reason. 9 % Other (let us know in the comments) 2 %
One spec could make or break the Pixel 10 Pro
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
What’s the big deal with the Tensor G5? Multiple reports strongly suggest it will be the first Tensor chip manufactured by TSMC instead of Samsung Foundry, and if that happens, it could completely resolve Google’s biggest and longest-standing Tensor pain points.
It’s no secret that Google has long struggled with its Tensor chips, specifically with battery efficiency and thermal management. Whether we’re talking about the Pixel 6 or the latest Pixel 9, Google’s Pixel phones almost always have worse battery life and thermal performance than competing phones with Qualcomm and MediaTek chips. It’s not as pressing of an issue now compared to Tensor’s early days, but it’s still a problem nonetheless.
While Google’s chip design certainly plays a role here, chips from Samsung Foundry consistently perform worse than TSMC-made ones. So, with a TSMC-made Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10 series, Google stands to have a Pixel phone that’s finally free of the battery and thermal woes it’s been unable to escape up until this point. And if that happens, it could be one of the most significant upgrades yet for Google’s smartphones.
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