I’m tired of talking about Tensor chipsets.
With all the hate flying around, if you didn’t know any better, you’d think Google Pixels randomly blew up in your hand from overheating.
And when they didn’t overheat, it was like running applications on a Pentium II in 2026. It’s ridiculous, and it’s started to bleed over into Google Pixel 10a coverage.
Yes, I wouldn’t have complained if Google fitted the Pixel 10a with a Tensor G5, but I understand the company needed to keep costs in line. Still, the use of the Tensor G4 is a fantastic opportunity to finally silence critics.
It’s not a disaster of a chipset, and another year under the hood of the Pixel 10a will prove it.
Tensor hatred has gone too far
I understand where it comes from, but enough is enough
Whenever someone digs into Tensor chipsets hard with the same old criticisms, I know I’m talking to a former Pixel 6 or 7 owner.
These people were legitimately burned by early Tensor growing pains, who experienced, as I did, the constant overheating, poor performance, and lackluster battery life of those devices, with many of those pains directly the fault of the chipset.
However, it’s not five years ago, and Google has made significant strides in improving Tensor performance.
I haven’t experienced any undue overheating since the Tensor G2, and Pixel 8 Pro owners can attest to the fantastic battery life and thermals they’ve experienced with the Tensor G3.
It’s only fair to judge what’s in front of us, and while Google deserves all the criticism it’s received over past sins, the old complaints are no longer accurate on modern Pixels.
My Pixel 9a gets outstanding battery life, and I expect more of the same from the Pixel 10a.
Google should have the Tensor G4 dialed in after a year
Software optimization matters to performance
Unlike when a new chipset is in a smartphone, the Tensor G4 is a known quantity for Google. It’s had a year to test what it can do, and you should expect smooth, optimized performance from your Pixel 10a out of the box.
Don’t get confused, Google’s not changing anything on the silicon, but software goes a long way to making chipsets hum.
Software can determine the loads on different cores, and Google has had a year to fine-tune the thermals.
I expect the Pixel 10a to have the best battery life of a Tensor G4-powered device on launch, simply because Google’s had a chance to learn how the chipset performs under real-world workloads.
It’s also a known quantity for developers, so there’s little guesswork as to what the chipset can do.
Image processing should also be improved, and the Pixel 10a should be an efficient phone. The device will run well from the start, but it’s what comes next that should help silence critics.
Google offers 7 years of support for the Pixel 10a
Plenty of upgrades and features
The Pixel 10a is an ideal opportunity for Google to show how it’s designed its chipsets for longevity.
The Tensor G4 was never meant to be a screamer, topping benchmarks and eating Snapdragons for lunch. But it should be able to handle Android upgrades and new Gemini features for years to come.
The Tensor G4 is already a year old, but if the Pixel 10a’s performance is solid from the start, I’ll have faith in Google’s ability to optimize new software and features for older hardware.
We’ve seen it from the company before, and Material 3 Expressive with Android 16 runs well on my Pixel 6.
I want my midrange phone to be efficient, not necessarily the most powerful.
The Tensor G4 is the right chipset for the Pixel 10a, and it gives Google the perfect opportunity to show the long-term benefits of using Tensor chipsets.
It’s the company’s argument against people wanting more powerful silicon, and now we get to see that in action.
Let’s all take a deep breath
Tensor hatred has been out of line for a long time. People are blinded by benchmarks, so they lose sight of what’s important.
Qualcomm has put out plenty of dud Snapdragon chips over the years, with overheating issues and poor performance, yet it’s the Tensor chipsets that seem to carry the albatross of lackluster early generations.
I want people to react to what’s in front of them, and the Tensor G4 is still going to get the job done for buyers in the Pixel 10a.