According to Android Police, Google has finally begun rolling out a critical GPU driver update for the Pixel 10 series, starting with the Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 release. This new driver, version 25.1, is the same one Imagination Technologies released back in August 2025 for its PowerVR GPU, which is inside the Tensor G5 chip. The update packs support for Android 16 and Vulkan 1.4, with Imagination claiming noticeable performance and efficiency gains. Google had confirmed a driver update was coming in October 2025, but it missed the stable Android 16 QPR2 build. Now, Pixel 10 owners in the beta can test it, but everyone else must wait until the stable QPR3 release in March 2026 to get the fix for the phone’s criticized graphics performance.
The Long-Awaited Fix
Here’s the thing about the Pixel 10’s GPU problem: it was never really about lacking hardware muscle. The Tensor G5’s PowerVR core has decent specs on paper. The issue was that it’s been running with an outdated driver since launch, basically leaving performance on the table. It’s like having a sports car but using the engine tune from five years ago. The previous attempt at a fix in QPR2 was more of a band-aid—improving system responsiveness by tweaking the garbage collector—but it didn’t tackle the graphics bottleneck head-on. This new driver is the real deal, targeting the root cause. And it’s a bit telling that Google didn’t even announce it; a sharp-eyed Redditor had to spot the change in the beta notes.
What The Update Actually Means
So, what should users expect? Don’t get too excited for a radical, double-your-frame-rate kind of jump. Past driver updates for Tensor chips have brought meaningful, but incremental, gains. We’re talking smoother gameplay in graphics-heavy titles, better efficiency (which could help battery life during gaming), and full compatibility with modern APIs like Vulkan 1.4. Imagination’s own blog post from August highlights these technical foundations. For the average user, it probably means games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty: Mobile will just run better, with fewer stutters and more consistent performance. It’s a fix that should have been there at launch, but better late than never, right?
The Waiting Game
Now, the frustrating part for most owners is the timeline. March 2026 is the target for the stable release. That’s a long wait for a fix for a flagship phone that launched with this weakness. It puts Pixel 10 owners in a tough spot: live with subpar GPU performance for months, or jump into the beta program and risk instability for a smoother gaming experience today. For a company that wants to be taken seriously in the hardware game, these kinds of prolonged post-launch fixes for core components are a bad look. It undermines confidence. Why buy a premium device if you have to wait half a year for it to perform as intended?
A Broader Pattern
This situation feels emblematic of Google’s hardware efforts. The promise is always exciting—custom silicon, deep software integration—but the execution often has these rough, unfinished edges. The driver was ready from Imagination since August. So what took so long? It points to potential integration or validation hurdles within Google’s own process. For developers, a stable, modern GPU driver is critical. It’s the foundation for optimizing their games and apps. This delay doesn’t help the Pixel’s reputation as a gaming device. In a world where iPhones and top-tier Android phones offer seamless performance out of the box, the Pixel can’t afford to be playing catch-up on basic graphics drivers. This fix is necessary, but the whole episode is a stumble Google needs to avoid repeating.
