Your Pixel phone's Tensor chip just got a performance-packed upgrade

Summary

Google has updated the GPU drivers across its Tensor-powered Pixel devices.
This firmware upgrade brings graphical performance improvements of anywhere between 32 and 62 percent.
Google’s next Tensor processor might prove to be a major upgrade over the existing G4 used in the Pixel 9 series.

In an unexpected move, Google has pushed out an over-the-air (OTA) firmware update that substantially improves the graphics performance of its in-house Tensor chipsets. Pixel users are flagging these sudden performance gains on social media sites like Reddit, and are using synthetic benchmark apps like Geekbench 6 to showcase their pre-and-post-update score results.

As reported by Android Authority, it appears that Google has made improvements to the underlying graphics processing unit (GPU) drivers found in Pixel devices powered by Tensor chipsets. These GPU driver updates are resulting in performance boosts of anywhere from 32 percent for the high-end Pixel 9, to as high as 62 percent for the mid-range Pixel 7a.

Google hasn’t provided any official statement on the matter, and exact graphical improvement metrics on a per-device level aren’t entirely clear at this time. Anecdotally, it appears that all Tensor-powered Pixel devices are performance beneficiaries to one degree or another — including the Pixel Tablet and Pixel 6 series of phones and newer.

Google first switched from Qualcomm Snapdragon chips to its own in-house Tensor solution beginning with 2021’s Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro. Custom silicon allows for additional vertical integration and optimization across hardware and software that aren’t possible when using off-the-shelf components.

Google’s latest generation chipset, the Tensor G4, is a powerhouse when it comes to accelerating on-device artifical intelligence tasks. However, central processing unit (CPU) and GPU performance numbers have continued to lag behind flagship solutions from the likes of Qualcomm and Apple — a sore point for the Pixel 9 series of devices.

Pixel 10 series leak offers first look at Google’s next flagships

Renders of the Pixel 10 series have leaked, and it looks very similar to the Pixel 9 series.

The Pixel 10 might dawn a new era for Pixel phone performance

Rumors indicate that Google’s next flagship processor might better compete with the likes of Qualcomm and Apple

We’re still a few months away from the launch of Google’s next-generation Pixel 10 series of smartphones, but the rumor mill is already shifting into high gear. A collaborative effort between Onleaks and Android Headlines has given the internet an early sneak-peak of what the Pixel 10 might end up looking like, in the form of mock CAD renders.

These renders paint a picture of minimal year-over-year design changes going from the Pixel 9 to the Pixel 10, but there’s more to the story than meets the eye. According to leaked documents obtained by Android Authority, Google’s next Pixel chipset — the Tensor G5 — is shaping up to be a notable upgrade over the existing Tensor G4.

TSMC has a reputation for being on the bleeding-edge of chip fabricating, which bodes well for Google.

Where the current Tensor G4 uses a 4nm design and is fabricated by Samsung, the upcoming G5 is expected to arrive with a shrunken 3nm die size, and be manufactured by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC).

TSMC has a reputation for being on the bleeding-edge of chip fabricating, which bodes well for Google and its Tensor processing ambitions. For a more detailed look into the upcoming Tensor G5 chipset, including details on leaked specifications and more, check out Android Police’s in-depth breakdown.