
The Google Pixel 7 and Google Pixel 7 Pro were released earlier this month, amid a wave of fanfare. Amongst a host of new software features, the duo featured the first public appearance of the Tensor G2 chip, Google's latest in-house design.
Before the phones were released, the Tensor G2 got a lot of heat from commentators online. Why? Benchmark tests, which seemed to leak a rather weedy performance upgrade had leaked online.
Weeks before any members of the general public would have a chance to get their hands on these devices, many had written them off altogether based on the score it achieved in an online test. It's fair to say it felt a little premature.
Now, Google's Senior Director of Product Management, Monika Gupta, has said that Google is "perfectly comfortable" not winning benchmark tests. On a podcast with 9to5Google, she said, "I think classical benchmarks served a purpose at some moment in time, but I think the industry has evolved since then. They may tell some story, but we don’t feel like they tell the complete story."
It's a statement that makes sense. Google's launch of the Pixel 7 range saw a host of AI-powered functionality. This kind of software isn't tested by a benchmark, but can improve the quality of the overall experience for users.
So, do we as consumers need to pay less attention to benchmarks? I think so, and here's why.
A good benchmark doesn't make a good phone
Benchmark testing is very specific. In essence, the software will give your device a handful of tasks and time how quickly it completes them. This gives it a score, for both multi-core and single-core performance. But it's hardly perfect.
Sign up to the T3 newsletter for smarter living straight to your inbox
Get all the latest news, reviews, deals and buying guides on gorgeous tech, home and active products from the T3 experts
Benchmarks are designed to test what the CPU can do, but it does so by testing the extreme limit for a short period of time. Real-world usage requires sustained performance at varying levels of power. No consumer is going to run their device at the absolute peak of it's processing capability for a few seconds at a time, so testing a device like that isn't very useful. It's like testing how good a marathon runner is by making them run a 100m sprint.
Because Gupta is right: the industry has evolved and raw CPU power is no longer the defining characteristic of the best phones. AI and Machine Learning mean that devices can be more efficient and adapt to make better use of the processing power they have.
Plus, most phone users are unlikely to be pushing modern CPU's to their breaking point. Perhaps if you're an avid mobile gamer, though one of the best gaming phones may be better if that's the case.
It's not entirely useless though. Benchmark testing is a great way of comparing raw CPU performance. That can be useful, particularly as more and more people buy tech products online without using them first.
But we need to reshape the narrative around what a benchmark means. Rather than treating it like the gold standard of whether or not a phone is worth your time, we need to treat it as one method of testing one aspect of a device.
Sam is an award-winning journalist with over six years of experience across print and digital media. As T3’s Senior Staff Writer, Sam covers everything from new phones and EVs to luxury watches and fragrances. Working across a range of different social media platforms alongside his written work, Sam is a familiar face for fans of T3. When he’s not reviewing snazzy products or hunting for stellar deals, Sam enjoys football, analog photography and writing music.
-
I tested the new iPad Air, and it's like a tablet and MacBook rolled into one
Now with an M3 chip and a new Magic Keyboard option, the iPad Air M3 promises to not only be the best portable tablet but a real mini laptop replacement, too
By Mat Gallagher Published
-
Netflix's new show Ransom Canyon is coming for Yellowstone's lunch money
It's precision-targeted
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Google TV set for a shake up that might have you feeling blue
A redesign is reportedly coming to Google TV, with a new colour scheme and features
By Rik Henderson Published
-
Android 16 to come with a significant security upgrade for Pixel phones
It’s going to be easier to unlock your Pixel phone in the future
By Chris Hall Published
-
Google Pixel 9a delayed, but for good reason
Google’s latest affordable phone has been announced, but you can’t actually buy it yet
By Chris Hall Published
-
Google's Pixel 9a does one simple thing that could tempt me away from iPhones after a decade
Google's played a blinder here
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Google's new phone makes one huge, unexpected change
The Pixel 9a is flat – that's big!
By Max Freeman-Mills Published
-
Your older Chromecast finally gets the fix it deserves
You can start casting again, or reset your bricked device
By Britta O'Boyle Published
-
Android owners can easily swap Gemini for ChatGPT as default assistant, here's how
Whether you want to is a completely different matter
By Chris Hall Published
-
You can now try Android 16 for yourself, here's how
The latest beta from Android is now available on Pixel devices
By Chris Hall Published