Google's latest flagship smartphone presents a tale of two technologies, showcasing groundbreaking AI-powered photography features while raising serious questions about fundamental performance capabilities. The Pixel 10 Pro, powered by the new Tensor G5 chipset manufactured by TSMC, represents Google's ambitious leap forward in computational photography, but early testing reveals significant concerns about its graphics processing power.
Tensor G5 chipset brings architectural changes but GPU disappointment
The Tensor G5 marks Google's transition from Samsung Foundry to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, built on an advanced 3nm process node. Google has redesigned the CPU architecture, moving from the previous one big core, three primary cores, and four little cores configuration to one big core, five medium cores, and two little cores. The company claims a 34 percent faster CPU and a remarkable 60 percent improvement in Tensor Processing Unit performance for AI and machine learning tasks.
However, benchmark results paint a concerning picture for graphics performance. The Pixel 10 Pro achieved only 3,707 points in Vulkan GPU benchmarks, significantly trailing behind the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus's impressive 26,333 points. More troubling is that this score falls well below its predecessor, the Pixel 9 Pro, which achieved 9,023 points. Industry sources suggest the GPU is running at unusually low frequencies and may lack updated drivers, potentially explaining the disappointing results.
GPU Benchmark Comparison
| Device | Vulkan Score |
|---|---|
| Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus | 26,333 |
| Google Pixel 9 Pro | 9,023 |
| Google Pixel 10 Pro | 3,707 |
Pro Res Zoom technology shows promise despite implementation challenges
Google's new Pro Res Zoom feature represents the company's most ambitious computational photography advancement, promising astonishing detail at up to 100x zoom. This AI-powered technology uses a generative imaging model running on the Tensor G5 to recover and refine details in heavily zoomed photographs. The feature builds upon Google's existing Super Res Zoom technology, which has been stitching multiple images together since the Pixel 3.
Early testing reveals mixed results for this cutting-edge feature. Professional comparisons with the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra show the Pixel 10 Pro producing notably cleaner, more usable images at extreme zoom levels. Google's official demonstration showed impressive results capturing distant architectural details with remarkable clarity. However, real-world testing at retail locations revealed significant limitations, with some images showing fabricated details and text that bore no resemblance to the original subject matter.
Real-world performance raises questions about marketing claims
Independent testing by users examining demo units has highlighted the gap between Google's marketing promises and practical performance. While the Pro Res Zoom technology does improve image quality compared to traditional digital zoom, it struggles with certain subjects and lighting conditions. The AI model occasionally generates false details, particularly when photographing objects it wasn't specifically trained to recognize, such as retail merchandise.
Google has positioned the feature primarily for wildlife, landscape, and landmark photography, which may explain some of the disappointing results in indoor retail environments. The company's latent diffusion model aims to eliminate artifacts while preserving important details, but the technology appears to work best under specific conditions with appropriate subject matter.
User Poll Results on GPU Performance Concerns
- "No, early results can be misleading": 33.33% (10 votes)
- "I am beginning to have apprehensions": 53.33% (16 votes)
- "I don't really care": 13.33% (4 votes) Total votes: 30
Industry implications and competitive landscape
The Pixel 10 Pro's performance profile creates an interesting dynamic in the premium smartphone market. While the device may struggle with graphics-intensive gaming due to its GPU limitations, it potentially leads the industry in computational photography capabilities. This positioning could appeal to photography enthusiasts while disappointing users who prioritize gaming performance or overall benchmark scores.
The mixed results highlight the challenges facing smartphone manufacturers as they balance different performance aspects within power and thermal constraints. Google's focus on AI-powered features over raw graphics performance represents a strategic choice that may resonate with certain user segments while alienating others who expect flagship devices to excel across all performance metrics.
