Google’s Pixel 10a might need the identical processor, nevertheless it has one benefit

The brand new Google Pixel 10a makes a couple of compromises this 12 months, maybe the largest being that it’s now not powered by Google’s newest yearly flagship processor. As an alternative of the most recent 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 question be disenchanted.

To be honest to the 10a, the Tensor G4 was a flagship-tier processor (of kinds) simply final 12 months and is definitely no slouch for day by day duties. Nevertheless, which means that the Pixel 10a isn’t any quicker than its predecessor, not less than on paper. This definitely seems to be the case once we ran the cellphone by way of the favored GeekBench 6 CPU take a look at as effectively.

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

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

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

So what does this imply for actual video games? Nicely, the Pixel 10 undoubtedly has a efficiency lead for lighter video games and brief play periods over the 10a and 9a. Nevertheless, for longer gaming periods with demanding graphics, the Pixel 10a could not really 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. However half an hour of play is perhaps sufficient to even out the body fee, particularly in case you love emulating basic video games.

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

Within the spherical, I nonetheless suppose $500 for a cellphone with this degree of efficiency — together with Google’s different {hardware} and software program goodies — is fairly good worth for cash. It’ll don’t have any downside operating apps and lighter video games, helps a variety of Google’s AI goodies, and, after all, powers what continues to be a strong low-cost digital camera setup.

In comparison with the Samsung Galaxy A56 5G, Nothing Telephone 4a Professional, or Moto G Stylus (2025), which all retail for across the similar value or simply underneath, the Tensor G4 nonetheless runs rings round them, significantly for gaming. Whereas we’d see some barely quicker rival telephones seem within 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. Which means right this moment’s fairly common {hardware} has to maintain up with no matter our cell OS appears like in seven years’ time. On condition that some Pixel lovers already complain that their flagship handsets can really feel a bit sluggish only a 12 months or so down the road, I wouldn’t purchase the Pixel 10a with the expectation of utilizing it for fairly that lengthy.

When 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 case you should) and the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE are maybe higher picks. Sure, they’re costlier, however they nonetheless are available in a little bit 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 is just not that the Pixel 10a makes use of the identical processor as final 12 months, however that it doesn’t value rather more to purchase a cellphone that’s a lot nearer to a flagship — with superior efficiency and extra.