Android Authority ran side-by-side tests comparing the Pixel 11 Pro's new MediaTek modem against the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, covering signal strength, cellular data speeds, and battery drain while streaming. Both phones used identical SIM cards, software, and starting battery levels, disconnected from Wi-Fi, to keep the comparison controlled. Google switched from Samsung's Exynos modem to MediaTek for the Pixel 11 series, following reported gains over last year's Pixel 10 Pro in speed, reception, and efficiency.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-23
Android Authority traced worsening game performance on the Pixel 11 series—stuttering and freezing in titles like Genshin Impact—to Google quietly making ANGLE the default OpenGL ES implementation on the new phones. ANGLE translates OpenGL ES calls into Vulkan commands, and testing showed it activating in popular games on the Pixel 11 Pro XL where it wasn't used on the Pixel 10 Pro XL.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-21
MediaTek has launched the Dimensity 9600 Pro, a flagship mobile processor supporting Triple-SIM Triple Active connectivity, 4K/240fps slow-motion video capture, and VVC video encoding. The chip targets premium Android devices and aims to outperform rival silicon in both performance and camera capability.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-15
A comparison of the Pixel 11 series against five rival flagship phones shows Google's new Tensor G6 chip trailing significantly in CPU and GPU benchmarks, most notably against Apple's A19 and A19 Pro chips inside the iPhone 17 lineup. The Tensor G6 also falls short on battery efficiency and thermal performance compared to competitors that in some cases cost less than the $1,000-plus Pixel 11.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-07
Android Authority ran a reader poll after reviewing Google's Tensor G6 chip inside the Pixel 11, which improves AI and efficiency-focused tasks but falls behind rivals in gaming and raw performance. Of over 2,800 respondents, 34.3% said they'd prefer more raw power, 30.5% valued efficiency instead, and only 15.7% felt the chip strikes a good balance between the two.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-09-04
Google's Pixel 11 series replaces the Samsung-made Exynos modem used in earlier Pixels with a new MediaTek modem, paired with the Tensor G6 chip, which remains a 3nm design rather than the rumored 2nm jump. Early testing shows the new modem delivers faster download speeds and holds 5G connections better in weak-signal areas compared to the Pixel 10 Pro and older Pixel 9 hardware.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-28
Google's Pixel 11 Pro retains the vivid, bright screen praised in its predecessor, but review testing found it throttles and shows overheating and battery-drain warnings when graphics settings are pushed above minimum levels. Google also dropped the 128GB storage tier across the lineup, meaning the cheapest configuration now starts at $1,099 for 256GB, with only 12GB of RAM at that entry level. Google attributed the higher storage and pricing to an AI-driven RAM shortage raising component costs industrywide.
cnet.com
· 2026-08-26
Google's new Pixel 11 lineup features the Tensor G6 chip, Gemini Intelligence AI tools, and upgraded cameras across both standard and Pro models. While the Pixel 11 Pro and Pro XL add extras like a longer 120x zoom, brighter displays, and a new HiLight notification feature, the base Pixel 11 now matches its Pro sibling in RAM and shares most core specs at a significantly lower price.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-26
Google's Pixel 11 series still impresses with software and AI features, but the Tensor G6 chip continues to lag well behind rival flagship processors in CPU, GPU and efficiency benchmarks. That leaves the upcoming Tensor G7 as a critical opportunity for Google to close the performance gap before it becomes a bigger problem for the Pixel 12.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-25
Xiaomi has detailed its new XRing 03 processor on Weibo, built on a 3nm process and featuring an unannounced Arm G2-Ultra NX GPU with 16 cores and AI-based upscaling. The chip also includes a 10-core CPU with six 'super' and four 'large' cores, no small cores, peaking at 4.35GHz, plus a four-core NPU rated at 200 TOPS. It will debut in the Xiaomi 18 Fold, set to launch next month.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-24
Pixel 11 owners are reporting severe graphical glitches that make Genshin Impact unplayable, a problem tied to the Tensor G6 chip's PowerVR GPU, which HoYoverse says doesn't meet the game's minimum requirements. Google confirmed it is working with HoYoverse on an optimization fix expected in an upcoming Genshin Impact update.
androidauthority.com
· 2026-08-24