It’s Time to Stop Cutting Google Pixel a Break
Android may be known for its open roots and freedom of choice, but I’m a user of simple tastes. As a life-long Nexus and Pixel fan, I’ve always preferred the “Google experience” over other Android launchers and skins. But times change, and the Android ecosystem has grown up a lot in 17 years. After a stint with Samsung’s newest foldable last month, it’s clearer now than ever that Pixel’s falling behind other flagships, and something needs to change.
When I set out to write my Pixel 10 Pro XL review, I had a very different article in mind. Diving deep into the “S” generation of Google’s current lineup, I expected the Pixel series to age like a fine wine. If done right, Pixel 10 would sand down the rougher edges of last year’s lauded refresh, and for the most part, Google succeeded. Here are a couple highlights:
The Tensor G5 chips makes the jump from Samsung to TSMC this year, leading to better CPU performance and lowered heat output.
There’s a new PWM-friendly accessibility solution for folks who hate screen flicker (available on “Pro” Pixels only).
The camera system has a vastly improved zoom, thanks to a new 100x lens and some clever AI enhancements (also available only on Pixel Pro models).
Qi2 support is integrated directly into the phone, but don’t call it MagSafe! Pixelsnap has the magnets you’ve always wanted with no cases or stickers necessary.
Overall, all three phones this year are nice upgrades. They’re not groundbreaking. They’re not innovative. They’re nice. With several notable quality-of-life improvements in tow, the Pixel 10 series is a little better than its predecessor, and that should be enough, right?
Not if you’re comparing it to other flagships on the market today.
Here’s Where Things Go Downhill
While every new Pixel generation gets a spec bump that falls in line with Google’s broader business model (to become a leader in the AI space), the company’s hot pursuit of artificial relevance leaves Pixel wanting in several key areas, and it’s starting to annoy me:
When benchmarks underperform, that’s okay, because numbers aren’t everything. When the flagship price is a little too high for mid-tier specs, no bother, because the Pixel UX is optimized to compensate. When the GPU struggles to play graphically intensive games, that’s fine, because it was designed for AI — no one buys a Pixel to play games, right?
But why not? After 10 years of Pixel, why is there anything a Pixel Pro can’t do beside a Samsung Galaxy or an iPhone? Why do I have to choose if I want a device that’s great at AI or a pocket computer that excels at practically everything else? Why can’t I have both with the Google experience on top? Why can’t I have what I want?
It’s easy to accept shortcomings when sizing up the cheaper Pixel A lineup. I’ve owned several of those in the past, and each were delightful in their own way. But Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, and Pixel 10 Pro XL are flagship phones with flagship prices, and users deserve flagship performance to match. There shouldn’t be any compromises. None.
If Google wants to prioritize AI, that’s great, but Pixel shouldn’t have to sacrifice raw power and performance to get it? No other flagship phone does that, and saying otherwise is clearly a cop out to cover for Google’s lackluster chip designs.
You Can Have It All
Case in point, I recently got my hands on a Galaxy Fold 7, and it blew me away. Even with a chip that launched a year ago, it was fast, fluid, performant, and just plain fun. Samsung deserves plenty of credit for their decades of hardware R&D, gorgeous display tech, and innovations in foldable hardware, but the last bit goes straight to Qualcomm.
The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy makes Google’s switch to Tensor look like a mistake. It’s proof that you can make a mobile chipset that spits out wicked-fast benchmarks, puts it all to the metal when booting up demanding apps, and has enough juice left over for AI at the end. Snapdragon even supports Gemini Nano, for goodness sakes – the same local model that runs on Pixel!
So what’s the point of Tensor if Snapdragon can do all the same stuff, but faster?
Tensor Turmoil
Many, including myself, expected Tensor to leap ahead in performance this year, now that TSMC has taken over manufacturing duties from Samsung. That’s the same group that produces Apple’s A-series chips for iPhone and even some M-series chips for Mac, all of which are wicked-fast in their own right. However, Tensor G5 only made modest gains this year compared to G4, which only made modest gains compared to G3 the year before that.
There’s no other way to say it. Five generations in, Tensor is holding Pixel back. While it may have been the first mobile chip to prioritize AI, Snapdragon passed it up ages ago, and there’s no sense in keeping it around. Tensor is at a crossroads where it needs to either buck up on the performance front or buzz off so Pixel can compete with other flagships, pound for pound — not just in AI.
There’s still a part of me that thinks this year is the final stopgap before Tensor G6 makes the gains we’ve been waiting for. With more time to cook alongside TSMC, Google will finally turn Tensor into an all-around powerhouse so that users don’t have to choose whether they want an AI phone or a high-performance phone. They can have it all! Next year, Tensor will be better. Next year.
Then again, we’ve been saying this for several years now, and it’s time to stop pretending that Google cares about anything other than AI. Maybe they don’t want a more performant chip. Maybe they’re happy with the way things are, and anything outside of that is just wishful thinking.
With Tensor at the helm, Pixel isn’t for power users. It’s for the everyday user, particularly iPhone switchers and AI enthusiasts, a sentiment that was echoed in Google’s latest Pixel event where celebrity hosts and influencers got more screen time than Pixel itself. Google is shifting Pixel’s brand image away from the tech enthusiasts it was built for, and they’re now catering to the lifestyle crowd they hope to capture. Google is positioning Pixel as the phone for the masses, and in doing so, they’re leaving long-time fans like me behind.
It’s All Gone, Girl
This article actually wasn’t supposed to be my review. It was a first impression piece before the deep dive, but that all went out the window pretty quick. After I unboxed my Pixel 10 Pro XL and set it up, it didn’t take long to realize that its performance is only negligibly better than my Pixel 9 Pro XL. And after Material 3 Expressive landed on Pixels everywhere, I didn’t notice much of a difference between the two at all. Putting aside my love for gaming (and the fact that neither device handles this all that well), they both felt like the same phone.
The biggest red flag, though, came at the start of day two. As I held my new Pixel 10 Pro XL in my hands, all I could think about was how much I regretted giving up my Z Fold 7 for a slightly better version of the Pixel I already had. As I said in my Z Fold 7 review, I couldn’t justify owning both devices at the same time, so I returned the Fold with the hope that Pixel 10 would be worth the sacrifice. There’s only enough room in my pocket for one, but sadly, the Pixel 10 Pro XL isn’t it, either.
So I did the only thing I could do. I boxed up my Pixel 10 Pro XL on day three and sent it back. Will I get another Z Fold Z? Maybe. Fall Prime Day and Black Friday are all coming up, and Samsung’s sure to have some killer deals. Will I wait for a new Galaxy S26 Ultra in January? It’s tempting. Maybe I bide my time and wait for Pixel 11? If only my wishful thinking would prevail.
I Didn’t Leave Pixel. Pixel Left Me.
Whatever happens next, one thing seems clear: I’m not sure Pixel is meant for me anymore.
Don’t get me wrong; Pixel has a lot of features that I love. For starters, I put a lot of stock in downloading Android updates direct from Google, as soon as they’re ready. Pixel Drops are another fun software perk that keep the experience exciting. I’ve been in love with Material Design since day one, and I love it even more in its Expressive era. It’s nice to have built-in AI features that are actually useful. I’ll never miss the extra bloat that comes with other handsets; the pure Google Android experience just feels like home.
Pixel also doesn’t do many things that I value in a device. As a power user, I need raw performance to blitz through tasks and keep me connected. I need something that can play games smoothly and reliably, lest my Genshin Impact addiction goes unaddressed. I also want a device that can handle my workload, if and when the desktop version of Android turns into a viable desktop/laptop replacement. In short, I want the most computer in my pocket that I can get, and after a decade on Nexus/Pixel, the Z Fold 7 showed me what I’ve been missing.
As Pixel charts its path deeper into AI, the compromises under the hood are becoming more noticeable by the year, and I can’t write it off anymore. Google Pixel as a whole package is missing the performance element that power users crave, and if I can’t get it from Google, I have no choice but to look elsewhere. Software optimizations and AI tricks can go a long way on a modern smartphone, but some tasks require raw power, and no amount of benchmark-busting excuses can hide it.