Why the Pixel 10a’s older processor remains a great fit (and why it isn’t)

We’re used to new Pixel releases shipping with new silicon, even in budget segments, so this decision marks the end of business-as-usual for Google’s new affordable model. Still, there’s no reason to let last year’s chip dissuade you from casting an eye over what else the Pixel 10a has to offer. At least not on its own.

Google’s silicon has never been a benchmark topper, but the Tensor series has consistently landed on the right side of “good enough” for the current generation. It’s a cliche to point out these days, but modern smartphone processors are more than potent enough for our day-to-day tasks, and Google’s hardware configuration is certainly still more than a match for other chipsets found at the Pixel 10a’s price point. The Pixel 10a will run rings around the identically priced Samsung Galaxy A56 and its Exynos 1580 chip, particularly in gaming. That’s tough to complain about.

Still, if you can’t help but look at the Pixel 10 series with envy, it’s also worth remembering what the newer Tensor G5 offers and what it doesn’t.

Certainly, the newer chip looks better in benchmarks; the chip is up to 35% faster than the G4 when fully loaded, which can be significant. While benchmarks are based on real-world algorithms, how those larger numbers translate into actual experiences is often subtler. Browsing the web or flicking through reels doesn’t feel noticeably different on the Tensor G4 or G5. At best, an app might open up a fraction of a second faster — which would be very hard to tell without a side-by-side comparison. Instead, more likely to notice the difference in demanding applications like on-device video rendering, significant multi-tasking, or running desktop applications, which is usually a bit outside the use case for a mid-range phone.

Of course, it’s not just about performance. The Tensor G4 leaves a few other next-gen improvements off the table, including the G5’s slightly smaller and more efficient 3nm process and fourth-generation AI Tensor TPU. However, the G4 is still very modern, sporting a still efficient 4nm manufacturing process and Google’s in-house imaging and AI smarts that were good enough for last generation’s flagship. Given the extra cash you’d have to stump up for the Pixel 10 from the 10a, those benefits are not necessarily worth it — at least not when looking at the processor in isolation. The A series is always designed to be functional first, and the Tensor G4 remains well-positioned to deliver on that.

It’s also worth remembering that the Tensor G5 hasn’t been a flawless launch for Google. It debuted a very different GPU architecture from its predecessors, which, although it wins by a significant margin in benchmarks, has had teething issues. We clocked much closer performance between the two chips when we tested them side-by-side in real games. Plus, the Pixel 10 series’ newer processor suffered from early graphical glitches, far inferior emulation performance, and being outright incompatible with certain games. The long-awaited graphics driver upgrade for the Tensor G5 shows promise in my testing, but it’ll be a little while yet before it rolls out widely in a stable Android release.

I’m certainly not trying to justify picking the old chip over the new one — the newer model’s slightly improved performance will no doubt help it stay relevant a little longer. However, the bottom line is that a mature flagship-grade chip that still feels pretty much as snappy as its successor in real-world applications and games is certainly not a bad place to be. Especially for a phone costing just $499.

I’ve become far more willing to compromise a little on performance for price over the past couple of years. For instance, the Galaxy S25 FE is a brilliant phone despite packing a lower spec chip than Samsung’s flagship models, Apple has long split even its flagship models into regular and Pro-tier performance levels, and I didn’t find the Nothing Phone 3’s choice of a more budget chip to be as controversial as others did.

There are conditions attached to this, though; a phone has to use those silicon savings to pad out the overall experience with other, more meaningful features. A robust IP rating, top-notch build materials, improved cameras; you get the picture.

This applies a little less to a phone as affordable as the Pixel 10a — I’m certainly not expecting the phone to have it all for $499. However, if it’s sticking with the same silicon as last year, the Pixel 10a probably should have something notably new to bring to the table.

The 10a has a few improvements to its name, but I’m not sure that dated 10W wireless charging improvement, a marginally brighter display, or the inclusion of Gorilla Glass 7i are quite enough to make the handset jump out as a notable upgrade. If anything, the Pixel 10a gaining most of the Pixel 10 series’ latest AI features and other software tricks suggests these should all be coming back to the Pixel 9 and 9a in quick succession anyway. Why not just grab one of those for cheap?

On the one hand, sticking with last year’s Tensor G4 chip for the Pixel 10a isn’t a bad move for the budget series. The chip was good enough for Google’s flagship models last year and will remain decent, if not blazing fast, for years to come. Not forgetting that the chip features Google’s custom AI smarts, meaning it’ll still keep up with some of the advances on that front better than other mid-range models around this price.

That said, the chipset isn’t the only familiar feature on the 10a, and perhaps it betrays a broader lack of ambition for this year’s budget Pixel. The early picture is of a handset that plays it safe and arguably too close to the 9a. Google has taken not messing with a broken formula right to the limit, though, given the current state of hardware availability and costs, it may just be a sign of things to come for mid-range phones. Perhaps the newer Tensor G5 processor might have helped improve the phone’s appeal and its longevity.