Genshin Impact’s latest update appears to sideline Google’s newest phones. After a change in the game’s Android requirements, many Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro XL owners report the action RPG now stutters heavily, freezes during combat, and even suffers from semi-responsive touch controls.
According to the updated minimum specs, Android devices must use a non-PowerVR GPU. That phrasing effectively rules out phones powered by graphics units based on PowerVR architecture. On the Android side, that includes some entry-level chipsets and, notably, the Tensor G5 inside the Pixel 10 lineup, which uses a PowerVR-based GPU. Older devices built around PowerVR technology on other platforms are also affected.
What this means in practice is mixed, but troubling. Multiple clips shared by players on social media show the Pixel 10 Pro XL struggling to keep frame rates stable, with severe hitching in open areas and during effects-heavy battles. Others say the game remains playable in less demanding zones, suggesting the worst slowdowns are tied to specific scenes or assets.
All signs point to a driver-level compatibility problem rather than raw horsepower. The GPU inside Tensor G5 is capable of running most popular Android games when settings are tuned appropriately, but if a title depends on features or optimizations that aren’t fully supported in current PowerVR drivers, performance can suffer dramatically. Because the change stems from the game’s updated requirements, and Google has not yet acknowledged the situation, there’s no clear timeline for a fix.
If you play Genshin Impact on a Pixel 10, here are steps that may help in the short term:
– Drop graphics to the lowest preset and cap the frame rate at 30 fps
– Disable post-processing options like bloom, depth of field, and motion blur
– Close background apps and toggle the phone’s performance or gaming mode if available
– Ensure both the game and your system software are fully updated
– Report issues through the in-game feedback tool to help prioritize a driver or compatibility update
For many, these tweaks may only provide partial relief. Until there’s an official patch or updated GPU drivers, the experience may remain inconsistent on PowerVR-based hardware.
Key takeaway: the newest Genshin Impact update raises the Android bar to non-PowerVR GPUs, and that change has immediate consequences for the Tensor G5-powered Pixel 10 series. If Teyvat is a must-visit, consider a secondary device for now, keep an eye on future updates, and revisit performance after the next round of patches.
