Pixel 10 GPU: Not Underclocked, Just Smart Power Management
Switching to new tech always brings questions, and the Pixel 10's Tensor G5 processor is no exception. I was particularly interested in its new PowerVR GPU. Some rumors suggested it was being underclocked, potentially hurting performance. So, I had to dig in and see for myself.
I put my Pixel 10 Pro XL to the test, making sure everything was up to date. I then ran a system trace while playing COD Mobile. The goal? To see what the GPU was really doing. During my gaming session, the GPU spent a considerable amount of time at 396MHz, which confirmed initial reports. It seemed like this was the go-to speed when there wasn't much happening on screen. Even though the clock speed was low, I didn't notice any performance issues, which was great.
Later, as things got more intense in the game, the GPU frequently hit its peak of 1.1 GHz. However, it wasn't a smooth, gradual increase. Instead, it was more like short bursts. It appeared that the GPU was designed to stay at its low-power state of 396MHz and only ramp up when absolutely necessary. I noticed quick spikes to 512MHz, 576MHz, and 633MHz, but those were very short-lived. Essentially, the Tensor G5 GPU seemed to operate in just two modes: either at 396MHz or 1.1 GHz. This approach is known as "race-to-idle," which aims to complete tasks quickly and then drop back to a low-power state. This got me thinking - is Google's Tensor G5 processor underperforming?
The question is: could the Tensor G5 be giving us even more graphics performance? Maybe, but I don't think it matters that much in the real world. The main reason for this aggressive clock management is to handle heat and power usage on a phone. Quick bursts of graphics power are usually enough. Keeping the GPU constantly at 1.1 GHz would drain the battery without making a huge difference in how things actually perform.
Looking at the software trace, I saw that the GPU's power draw almost doubled during the high clock speed periods, jumping from 275mW to 480mW. That's just the GPU; it doesn't include the CPU or memory. Running the GPU at 1.1 GHz for longer would seriously increase power consumption and heat. During my test, the Pixel 10 Pro XL got noticeably warm after just 10 minutes of gaming. This really shows why running at 1.1 GHz constantly isn't practical for a phone, at least with this GPU.
This "race-to-idle" approach is used in many devices, including laptops. It’s more efficient to finish tasks quickly and then go back to a low-power state than to run at a constant mid-level speed. So, while it might seem like the Pixel 10's GPU is being held back, it's actually a smart way to balance performance, heat, and battery life.
In conclusion, the Pixel 10's GPU isn’t underclocked; it’s just efficient. Further investigation is needed to know how this compares to phones with Qualcomm’s Adreno or ARM’s Mali chips. It’ll be interesting to see how they stack up in terms of delivering the performance and battery life that mobile gamers care about.
Source: AndroidAuthority