The Pixel 10a might have the same processor, but it has an advantage over the 9a

The new Google Pixel 10a makes just a few compromises this 12 months, maybe the largest being that it’s not powered by Google’s newest yearly flagship processor. As a substitute of the newest Tensor G5, the Pixel 10a settles for final 12 months’s Tensor G4 processor. These hoping for a bit extra efficiency on a finances will little doubt be upset.

To be honest to the 10a, the Tensor G4 was a flagship-tier processor (of types) simply final 12 months and is actually no slouch for each day duties. Nevertheless, which means the Pixel 10a is not any quicker than its predecessor, at the least on paper. This actually seems to be the case after we ran the cellphone by way of the in style GeekBench 6 CPU take a look at as nicely.

The Pixel 10a and 9a are inside the margin of error of one another, which you’d count on for similar chips working the same clock speeds. Outdoors Google’s ecosystem, these CPU outcomes are in the ballpark of Samsung’s reasonably priced Galaxy S23 FE from 2023. Nonetheless not unhealthy for a $500 cellphone, but it does present how far Pixels are from the leading edge of recent efficiency.

Whereas normal efficiency seems to be basically unchanged, the Pixel 10a does appear to have a slim advantage over its predecessor — stress take a look at temperatures.

3DMark’s Wild Life Excessive stress take a look at, the efficiency begins out the same as final 12 months’s mannequin and is a long way behind the Pixel 10. Nevertheless, as the take a look at continued, the Pixel 10a maintained the lowest temperatures of the three, after ranging from the same level.  The cellphone lasts a full seven minutes earlier than we see a dip in efficiency, but at which level the Pixel 9a has already began to throttle again, and the new finances mannequin is now competing instantly with the costlier Pixel 10.

So what does this imply for actual video games? Properly, the Pixel 10 undoubtedly has a efficiency lead for lighter video games and brief play classes over the 10a and 9a. Nevertheless, for longer gaming classes with demanding graphics, the Pixel 10a might not truly be that far behind. Actual video games aren’t as demanding as these stress assessments, so it’ll take various minutes for the hole to shut. But half an hour of play might be sufficient to even out the body price, particularly in the event you love emulating basic video games.

In fact, there are a variety of variables right here. We take a look at all our telephones at room temperature, but taking part in in hotter or cooler environments, utilizing a case, or attaching a controller all make a distinction. This isn’t a robust sufficient consequence to say the Pixel 10a is at all times higher, but it’s a small win for the finances mannequin over its predecessor. At the very least, the decrease temperatures will make the Pixel 10a extra snug.

In the spherical, I nonetheless suppose $500 for a cellphone with this stage of efficiency — together with Google’s different {hardware} and software program goodies — is fairly good worth for cash. It’ll have no downside working apps and lighter video games, helps a variety of Google’s AI goodies, and, in fact, powers what continues to be a stable low-cost digicam setup.

In comparison with the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G, Nothing Cellphone 4a Professional, or Moto G Stylus (2025), which all retail for round the same worth or simply below, the Tensor G4 nonetheless runs rings round them, notably for gaming. Whereas we might see some barely quicker rival telephones seem in the coming months, they’re unlikely to leapfrog the Pixel 10a in uncooked efficiency for $500 or much less.

Nevertheless, a part of Google’s gross sales pitch is that the Pixel 10a will obtain seven years of Android updates. That means right now’s fairly common {hardware} has to maintain up with no matter our cellular OS seems like in seven years’ time. Provided that some Pixel fans already complain that their flagship handsets can really feel a bit sluggish only a 12 months or so down the line, I wouldn’t purchase the Pixel 10a with the expectation of utilizing it for fairly that lengthy.

Should you actually need opt-tier efficiency on a finances that’s sturdy sufficient to final for the long run, the OnePlus 13R (or OnePlus 15R in the event you should) and the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE are maybe higher picks. Sure, they’re costlier, but they nonetheless are available in just a little cheaper than the Google Pixel 10 and provide efficiency that not solely beats the Tensor G4 but additionally Google’s newer Tensor G5.

Maybe the largest concern isn’t that the Pixel 10a makes use of the same processor as final 12 months, but that it doesn’t price way more to purchase a cellphone that’s a lot nearer to a flagship — with superior efficiency and extra.