Google’s Pixel 10 finally gets a GPU upgrade with Android 16 beta

Google has quietly started rolling out a long-awaited graphics update for the Pixel 10 series, and many users are likely to be relieved. The update comes as part of the Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 programme, which means it’s currently available only to those who have signed up for Google’s beta testing — but it points to a notable improvement in how the Pixel 10 handles graphics.

What’s getting attention is the GPU driver upgrade inside the new beta build. The Pixel 10 originally shipped with an older graphics driver — something that stood out because the phone’s powerful Tensor G5 chip was being compared with competitors that had more up-to-date GPU support. With this update, the driver version jumps to match the one that Imagination Technologies released earlier this year, and that brings support for the Vulkan 1.4 graphics API.

In everyday terms, Vulkan 1.4 can help games and graphically intense apps run more smoothly and efficiently. It’s the kind of upgrade that doesn’t immediately show up as a new feature button on your phone, but it can have a noticeable effect on performance and compatibility — especially in titles that are heavy on graphics or use the latest rendering techniques.

Since launch, some Pixel 10 owners have felt the phone’s graphics performance lag behind expectations, particularly when compared to other high-end phones in the same price bracket. That’s partly because the original GPU driver wasn’t the latest available, so developers couldn’t fully take advantage of what the hardware could do. This update is an important step toward fixing that.