Google Pixel Phone GPU Performance Improves Suddenly

Pixel phones don’t have the best GPUs, but they handle demanding games and chores effectively. They usually lag behind flagship smartphones with various chipsets. New reports claim Pixels’ GPU computing performance has improved significantly after launch software patches.

Users Reporting Higher Geekbench 6 Scores
Many Pixel users on Reddit’s/r/Pixel_Phones have seen improved Geekbench 6 GPU results, especially when using Vulkan. Pixel 7a, Pixel 8, and Pixel 9 have gained 62%, 31%, and 32%, respectively. Early benchmark results frequently originate from phone launches, thus recent rises stand out.

Pixel customers running Android 15 also observed speed improvements, although others ascribed it to Android 16. One Pixel 6a user outscored Pixel 9s. New GPU drivers from system upgrades seem to be the cause.

Updated Arm Mali GPU Drivers
All Tensor-powered Pixels use Arm Mali GPUs but don’t ship with the current driver. Google provides updated drivers quarterly, frequently with Pixel Drop. The Android 15 build for Tensor G1, G2, and G3 utilized Arm’s February 2024 driver, whereas Tensor G4’s used December 2023. Later Android 15 QPR1, QPR2, and 16 Betas featured updated GPU drivers. Each driver version has a release date:

r47p0 (2023-12-14)
r48p0 (2024-02-19)
r49p0 (2024-04-18)
r51p0 (2024-08-14)
r52p0 (2024-10-03)
Possible Real-World Effects
Higher benchmark results don’t necessarily translate into real-world advantages, but the Geekbench 6 GPU test examines daily computing workloads like machine learning and computer vision. Vulkan graphics API apps that target GPU capabilities enabled by upgraded drivers may benefit. The performance improvement depends on how a single program uses these capabilities, therefore further research is required to determine how substantial these boosts are in daily use.