Google Pixel 10 GPU Boost: New Driver Update Incoming
▼ Summary
– Google switched to TSMC for the Tensor G5 chip and replaced Arm’s Mali GPU with Imagination’s PowerVR, but both changes resulted in performance and efficiency trailing competitors.
– The Pixel 10’s GPU performance is notably poor, being slower than the Pixel 9 in many cases and struggling to run modern games smoothly.
– Outdated GPU drivers (v24.3) that lack Android 16 support are identified as the likely cause of the performance issues, with a newer driver (v25.1) available from Imagination Technologies.
– Google has confirmed it plans to update the Pixel 10’s GPU driver in future monthly or quarterly system updates to address the problems.
– Despite Google’s history of GPU driver updates improving performance on previous Pixel models, the company has been slow to roll out a fix for the Pixel 10, with no noticeable improvements in recent updates.
Google is preparing a GPU driver update for the Pixel 10, aiming to address significant performance issues that have left the device trailing behind competitors and even its predecessor, the Pixel 9. The heart of the problem appears to be the Tensor G5 chip, which marked a major shift for Google by utilizing TSMC for manufacturing and replacing the Arm Mali GPU with a PowerVR unit from Imagination Technologies. Despite the PowerVR DXT-48-1536 GPU’s promising specifications, including support for Vulkan 1.3 and a theoretical FP32 performance of 1.5TFLOPS, real-world performance in gaming and benchmark tests has been disappointing.
Owners of the Pixel 10 took to online forums to investigate the lackluster graphics performance. Their research pointed to an outdated GPU driver as the primary cause. The phone originally shipped with driver version 24.3, which lacks compatibility with Android 16. Coinciding with the Pixel 10’s launch, Imagination Technologies released an updated driver, version 25.1, which includes support for both Android 16 and the newer Vulkan 1.4 standard. This timing has led to user frustration, as the newer, more capable driver was available but not implemented.
A Google spokesperson has now officially confirmed that GPU driver updates for the Pixel 10 are in the pipeline. The company stated that it is continuously working to enhance driver quality through its regular monthly and quarterly system updates. They cited the recent September and October security patches as examples that already contained some driver improvements, with more substantial updates planned for future releases. However, many users report that the driver updates included in those recent patches failed to deliver any noticeable performance gains or resolve the existing graphical shortcomings.
This situation is not entirely new for Google, as the company has a history of issuing GPU driver updates for its Pixel lineup. In past instances, these updates have successfully delivered substantial performance uplifts. What is puzzling to many observers is the delay in deploying a more effective driver build for the Pixel 10, especially given the severity of its performance issues. Even the most recent Android 16 QPR2 Beta 3.1 continues to use the older driver version, leaving users waiting for a solution that can unlock the hardware’s full potential.
(Source: Android Police)
