Tested: My Pixel 10 runs faster with the Android 16 QPR2 update

Google’s second main quarterly launch of Android 16 — generally known as Android 16 QPR2 — is lastly right here, bringing loads of new options to Pixel house owners, and finally different manufacturers as properly. In line with anecdotal stories from the standard corners of the web, one sudden bonus seems to be improved graphics efficiency for the Pixel 10.

Google hasn’t formally talked about a brand new GPU driver that Pixel 10 house owners have been ready for, however that doesn’t imply that minor enhancements or optimizations aren’t tucked away inside. To seek out out, I grabbed my Pixel 10 Professional XL operating the November 2025 patch, ran our common take a look at suite, after which up to date to the QPR2 December 2025 replace and examined once more.

Pixel 10 Professional XL benchmarks on Android 16 QPR2

In comparison with my out-of-the-box Pixel 10 Professional XL, there’s a clear efficiency enchancment by the point I reached the November replace. Nonetheless, the Android 16 QPR2 replace is roughly in the identical ballpark as earlier than the replace.

Since launch, CPU efficiency has improved barely, with GeekBench 6’s single-core efficiency exhibiting a 2% enhance (which is near the margin of error), whereas multi-core scores have risen considerably extra by 5% when averaged throughout three exams. That’s welcome, however hardly a game-changer for peak efficiency. It’s additionally price noting that these new outcomes are nonetheless throughout the efficiency margin we noticed whereas testing your complete Pixel 10 collection, so that they haven’t considerably boosted efficiency to brand-new heights. As an alternative, the common efficiency is best.

Alongside these strains, PCMark’s Work 3.0 take a look at means that a wide range of use instances might even see a substantial efficiency leap. There’s a 19.6% enhance right here, which appears important. Nonetheless, we clocked an analogous rating for the Pixel 10 Professional at launch (whereas the Pixel 10 and XL have been slower), suggesting that some variability has at all times been current. I don’t need to draw too many conclusions from this artificial benchmark, however hopefully, Google has managed to iron out a few of the efficiency kinks in Android 16, releasing the Pixel 10’s Tensor G5 to hit its peak efficiency extra persistently than earlier than.

Subsequent, let’s study some graphics workloads courtesy of 3DMark’s stress exams.

The efficiency uplift we noticed on the CPU aspect is mirrored in revised GPU exams, however we will see that QPR2 is marginally sooner than its predecessor. Peak efficiency is up practically 5% within the Wild Life take a look at and round 7% in Wild Life Excessive. So, let’s name this a modest 6% enhance on common, however the true benefit appears to be that sustained efficiency might be higher on newer variations. Once more, this uplift gained’t revolutionize the cellphone’s distinctly common gaming efficiency. Nonetheless, it ought to lead to marginally larger peak body charges and, maybe extra importantly, higher stability and fewer janks in additional demanding titles and emulators.

By the way, each of those graphics exams use the Vulkan API; some customers are reporting considerably extra substantial good points in OpenGL, however I haven’t been capable of confirm this but. As a bonus, this efficiency uplift comes with no extra value to temperatures or stability.

There’s an plain benchmarking enhance for my Pixel 10 Professional XL between launch and QPR2. Nonetheless, it seems that many of the efficiency enhancements have been already in place earlier than the newest replace was launched. Nonetheless, the arrival of QPR2 could have precipitated a couple of extra folks to smash that replace button and eventually profit from the good points Google launched just a little earlier (in all probability within the November patch).

That mentioned, any CPU and system enhancements seem to primarily end result from ironing out earlier inconsistencies, however the GPU good points appear just a little extra promising. In any case, this modest efficiency enhancement is undoubtedly the cherry on high of an already substantial Android 16 QPR2 replace.

One often-overlooked advantage of reaching higher peak efficiency is that it could actually make a extra important distinction in worst-case eventualities. So, whereas a 5% enhance gained’t elevate current Pixels to Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 ranges, it might imply that apps really feel just a little smoother to load, and video games endure from fewer janks, which aligns with anecdotal stories of telephones feeling extra responsive.

We’ll see if this holds true as extra customers spend time with their up to date Pixels. Within the meantime, my subsequent step is to verify whether or not Android 16 QPR2 lastly addresses the Pixel 10’s dire emulation efficiency in comparison with its predecessor — or if we’ll nonetheless have to attend and hope {that a} future driver replace will make the Tensor G5 really feel extra like a real improve slightly than a sidegrade.