Pixel 10's Tensor G5 Struggles with Fortnite in New Gameplay Footage
The early apprehensions regarding Google's Tensor G5 chip found ground with the latest gameplay video of Fortnite on Pixel 10 Pro XL. The device showed massive performance drops with serious stuttering, making it a questionable choice for mobile gamers.
Gameplay Video Reveals Serious Performance Drawbacks
A 44-second clip uploaded on TechDroider is a real demonstration of how bad the Pixel 10 Pro XL is when handling the widely played online title. The small video showdown shows how the gameplay is plagued with a multitude of stutters, with some hitches lasting for several milliseconds. Although it might seem inconsequential to ordinary observers, such performance drops can ruin the experience in a competitive gaming environment and are extremely disruptive even for the casual gamer.
Google Pixel 10 Pro XL - Fortnite Gaming...
— TechDroider (@techdroider) August 30, 2025
It's DISAPPOINTING! pic.twitter.com/OSUFzwmy4u
Such a poor performance could come as a particular surprise considering the hardware involved. Apparently, the Tensor G5 is manufactured on TSMC's third-generation 3nm process, which is expected to be better in power efficiency. The Pixel 10 Pro XL is also supposed to have a vapor chamber cooling design. However, neither of them seems to be able to prevent the horrible stuttering during gameplay.
More than Hardware Unstable GPU Drivers Probably the Most Important Factors
Before all black firing to the Tensor G5 silicon or thermal throttling, another important factor would be what the state of the phone's software, which here will mostly concern the GPU driver. Graphics processors usually need stable and consistent driver updates for the optimum performance they can achieve through demanding applications like games.
This was proved previously through benchmark results. In a Geekbench 6 Vulkan test, the GPU of Tensor G5 was way off the top of the scores compared to its predecessor Tensor G4, strongly suggesting that software is not optimized for it yet. An update on the driver could then potentially give a clearer picture of the chip's capabilities.
Gaming Recommendation
Google has not indicated when the essential GPU driver updates will be forthcoming. Until they fix the performance issues through software optimization, anyone planning to use the Pixel 10 for serious gaming should think twice. Current evidence suggests that the device cannot be relied on to run demanding titles such as fortnight.
