Tensor G6 lost even to a two-year-old Snapdragon. In the graphics for 177 %, and Google does it on purpose

In August 2026, Google unveiled the Tensor G6, a chip for the new generation of Pixels. The portal Gizmochina pitted it against the Snapdragon 8 Elite, a chip that’s been on the market for almost two years. The result is awkward for Google, but it also explains why it doesn’t bother Google at all.

Geekbench: difference 12 % and 43 %

In Geekbench 6, Pixel 11 Pro XL with Tensor G6 reached a score of 2,671 points on a single core and 6,802 points on multiple cores. Galaxy S25+ with Snapdragon 8 Elite has 3,008, or 9,730 points, respectively.

On a single core, the difference is 12%, which is manageable. But under load across all cores, the gap widens to 43%. You’ll feel a difference like that when editing video, compiling, or working with multiple demanding apps at the same time.

In graphics, it’s not a matchup—it’s a beatdown

AnTuTu 11 shows a total score of 1.86 million for the Tensor G6 and 3.16 million for the Snapdragon—about 70% more. The more interesting part is the breakdown by categories, because the average can be misleading.

In the CPU section, Snapdragon is better by 22%, which roughly matches Geekbench. In graphics, however, it has a 177% higher score. Plus, it has 36% better memory handling and a 71% higher score in user smoothness.

The 3DMark Wild Life Extreme gaming test confirms it even more accurately, because it also measures how the chip handles sustained load and heat. Tensor G6 scored 3 386 points, while Snapdragon 8 Elite 6 612, so nearly double. In average frame rate, the gap is the same: 20.3 vs 39.5 FPS.

Seven cores instead of eight: and yes, that’s intentional

Tensor G6 is the first Tensor with a seven-core processor. All previous ones had eight cores. It sounds like a step back, but it isn’t. Google moved to newer ARM cores, C1-Ultra and C1-Pro, and boosted clocks—making it 20% faster in web browsing versus Tensor G5 and 15% faster when launching apps.

So why did it lose one core? Google didn’t officially comment, but according to industry experts, the reason was to make space for 5th-gen TPU, which powers Gemini Nano models directly on Pixel 11 in the phone. The Snapdragon has Hexagon NPU for that, but its chip is built differently overall, with eight custom Oryon cores at higher clock speeds.

Two different philosophies

This is the whole point of the comparison. Qualcomm builds its chip for maximum performance and long gaming sessions with a high frame rate. Google intentionally sets the CPU and graphics more conservatively to keep lower temperatures and power draw, and dedicates the chip area to TPU and the image processor, meaning AI features and computational photography.

That’s why the Pixel loses in benchmarks, but it’s top-tier at photos and AI features. It’s a legit choice—you just need to know what you’re buying. The only area where Tensor G6 is ahead on paper is maximum download speed over 5G: 12 Gbps vs 10 Gbps on Snapdragon.

What to take away from this

If you play demanding games or want a phone that can handle long sessions without slowing down, Snapdragon 8 Elite is the clearer choice—even though it’s almost two years older. If you care about photography, AI features running directly on the phone, and battery life, Tensor G6 makes sense.

For us here in Slovakia, this comparison has one more practical angle. Today, you can find Snapdragon 8 Elite even in China’s flagship phones, which are noticeably cheaper than Pixel. And since it’s a two-year-old chip, the prices of such phones have dropped a lot. You’ll pay less than for a new Pixel for the performance that Tensor G6 can’t match.

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