The Pixel 11’s Tensor G6 sounds promising — until you compare it to rival flagship chips

The newest Tensor G6 leak is nice and unhealthy information for the Pixel 11, including extra weight to what we already anticipated from Google’s next-gen chip destined for this 12 months’s Pixel 11 collection.

On the one hand, it seems like Pixel 11 prospects are set to profit from a big leap in CPU efficiency. The chip is anticipated to function a single Arm C1-Extremely core at 4.11GHz, alongside 4 C1-Professional cores at 3.38GHz and two C1-Professional cores at 2.65GHz. Google is totally skipping the Arm Cortex X925 period, leaping straight to the identical CPU cohort because the powerhouse MediaTek Dimensity 9500.

This represents a probably important enhance from the Tensor G5 and its Arm Cortex-X4, A725, and A520 setup. Taking a look at single-core Geekbench 6 outcomes, there’s round a 40% potential uplift between the outdated and new cores, which might clearly be a big leap if it holds up. The multi-core features could possibly be even bigger, given the upper general clock speeds and a transfer away from very small cores.

Nevertheless, regardless of the very trendy CPU cores, Google’s cluster stays considerably conservative in contrast to the opposite flagship chips, even these constructed with the identical off-the-shelf Arm cores. MediaTek’s Dimensity makes use of one C1-Extremely and three C1-Premium cores, that are bigger and extra highly effective than the Execs. Likewise, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon options two giant customized Oryon cores and 6 smaller cores, providing severe heavy-lifting potential. For a model trying to merge cell and PC use circumstances, two or extra power-house cores are helpful — Tensor isn’t in that league but.

I anticipate the Pixel 11’s CPU to carry out nearer to Samsung’s Exynos 2600 inside some new Galaxy S26 fashions, which use a really comparable C1-Extremely and C1-Professional configuration. Nevertheless, with larger clock speeds, Tensor ought to push forward by a modest margin. This places it in a really strong efficiency class that can guarantee it’s a sturdy day by day performer, if not fairly benchmark-topping.

Sadly, graphics will nearly definitely stay the Pixel’s Achilles’ heel. The Tensor G6 is reportedly switching to a PowerVR CXTP-48-1536. The Tensor G5 sports activities a DXT-48-1536 and, in accordance to the Creativeness Applied sciences web site, its GPU vary ranks from A (smallest and most power-efficient) by way of to E (highest efficiency).

After some digging, it’s not solely clear the place the CXTP lands. The 2021-era C-series consists of the very low-end CXM for sensible TVs and the CXT, a extra flagship-tier product (nearly definitely not by 2026 requirements anymore) that helps ray tracing.

From what I can discern, the “P” mannequin will not be a part of the unique 2021 period C-series. If it’s something just like the DXT versus DXTP, then the “P” signifies improved energy effectivity. The DXTP arrived in early 2025 with a 20% FPS-per-Watt effectivity achieve over the DXT. The CXTP probably provides one thing comparable. That sounds spectacular, however how this compares to the ability draw of the 2023-era DXT within the G5 is anybody’s guess.

Precisely what this implies for the Pixel 11’s gaming efficiency is equally unknown. The C-series is clearly not designed to match the D-series’s peak efficiency, and Creativeness’s personal supplies counsel a 20% higher efficiency density per space over the CXT. In all chance, the Tensor design staff is weighing up precisely how to extract one of the best efficiency from a restricted GPU silicon price range, and maybe the brand new “P” mannequin, a transfer to a smaller 2nm node, or just licensing prices have shifted this barely in favor of the CXTP over final 12 months’s DXT, whereas protecting efficiency aggressive with the earlier era.

Just like the DXT within the Tensor G5, the CXTP can help ray-racing. Nevertheless, this requires extra cores and area, and I believe Google is transferring to the C-series to save on silicon space. So don’t guess on ray-tracing this era both.

Because the graph above reveals, the Tensor G6 would wish to make substantial adjustments to its GPU configuration to meet up with the competitors. Even when the brand new 2nm manufacturing course of and extra environment friendly GPU cores might allow larger clock speeds and/or higher sustained efficiency, utilizing an improved 2021-era structure is probably going to be a sidegrade at finest. Consequently, the Pixel 11 is sort of sure to stay a extra sluggish gaming telephone than 2026 flagship telephones powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, Dimensity 9500, and, fairly probably, even the AMD-equipped Exynos 2600 too.

Google’s customized silicon undertaking hasn’t ever actually been about chasing the benchmark leaderboards, and the Tensor G6 isn’t going to all of a sudden change the established order. We’d have to look ahead to the Tensor G7 or longer for that.

For normal app efficiency, the CPU upgrades will probably be noticeable for each the substantial efficiency uplift and the effectivity features from transferring to a extra environment friendly structure. Sadly, players don’t look set to obtain the identical advantages, however maybe the Pixel 11 will sip on battery life sufficient to really feel like considerably of an improve for these longer classes. In any case, that is unlikely to hassle collection followers who aren’t bothered about Tensor’s lack of graphics grunt.

As an alternative, Tensor is a method for Google to pursue its AI ambitions with out being beholden to different silicon companions. Living proof, the chip is poised to swap from its long-running however typically troubled use of Samsung Exynos modem to the MediaTek M90. We’ll have to check it to see if this lastly rids the collection of connectivity issues and battery drain points as soon as and for all.

Likewise, Google is prepping its in-house Titan M3 safety chip and a next-generation “Santafe” TPU and “Metis” picture sign course of for the Tensor G6. These upgrades alone would enable Google to introduce attention-grabbing new options within the realms of on-device AI and computational pictures, which is able to little doubt be far larger promoting factors for the Pixel 11 collection than efficiency ever could possibly be. With that in thoughts, and ignoring rivals’ strikes, the Tensor G6 might effectively end up to be a notable improve when the Pixel 11 collection lands later this 12 months.