Google has confirmed that the Pixel 10 will receive GPU driver updates in the future — but what exactly that means for users remains unclear.
In response to Android Authority’s question about potential updates for the Pixel 10’s Imagination GPU, a Google spokesperson confirmed that driver updates are indeed planned. However, the statement didn’t offer much insight into what kind of improvements users can actually expect.
At first glance, it sounds like good news — Google is promising ongoing GPU enhancements. But in reality, most phone makers roll out minor GPU tweaks and optimizations through software updates. Major GPU driver upgrades, on the other hand, are rare. What Pixel owners are hoping for is a full-fledged driver update that could deliver noticeable performance gains — not just small maintenance patches like the ones Google has released recently. Unfortunately, Google’s vague statement doesn’t make it clear whether such a big update is in the works.
The Pixel 10 currently ships with the Imagination PowerVR DXT-48-1536 GPU running driver version 24.3, which is already several months old. Imagination released a newer driver (v25.1) back in August, adding Android 16 compatibility, Vulkan 1.4 support, and other performance improvements. Despite that, Google hasn’t yet rolled out this version to Pixel 10 devices.
Naturally, the delay hasn’t gone unnoticed. Some Pixel 10 users have expressed frustration — especially since popular titles like Genshin Impact recently dropped support for PowerVR GPUs. Complaints about GPU-related performance issues have also been popping up across Reddit and other online communities.
Traditionally, Google bundles GPU driver updates with major software upgrades or Pixel Drops, which are quarterly feature updates. The next one is expected in December, so that might be the company’s next opportunity to deliver the long-awaited GPU improvements.
When asked for a specific timeline for these updates, Google didn’t provide further details, leaving Pixel 10 users waiting — and hoping — for that much-needed performance boost.
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