The Google Pixel 11 Pro Nonetheless Has the Finest Show for Gaming, however Other Troubles Emerge

In 2025, I lauded the Google Pixel 10 Pro for its shiny, vibrant show that was nice to sport on. Now, its successor has arrived, and though it seems to be similar — with some slight {hardware} modifications — the luster has worn off. The Google Pixel 11 Pro feels underpowered in relation to gaming, and odd glitches that emerged whereas enjoying make it tougher to suggest for gaming on the go.

The Google Pixel 11 Pro is certainly the perfect cellphone Google has ever launched, with its AI-powering Tensor G6 chip, a trio of nice cameras with refined photograph software program and an expansive record of generative AI options. With all these benefits, the 11 Pro is without doubt one of the finest telephones on the market for taking footage. But its {hardware} and software program edge doesn’t prolong as a lot to gaming as different telephones do, such because the Samsung Galaxy S26 and its Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip.

In follow, the Pixel 11 Pro struggles with increased graphics settings inside video games, and can pop up warnings about overheating and battery drain after I pump it up above the bottom decision, body price and detailing. It’s a bit shocking given the cellphone’s premium worth.

Unfortunately, that worth has gone up, although in a roundabout manner. Google removed the 128GB entry choice for its total lineup, so the $1,099 beginning worth for the Pixel 11 Pro with 256GB of storage is identical worth as final yr at that storage stage — you simply can’t choose up a lower-storage configuration for below $1,000 anymore. That’s particularly limiting for cellular players, since putting in a number of titles can rapidly eat by means of the out there storage. The motion RPG Genshin Impact alone takes up 55GB.

When reached for remark, Google confirmed that the raised storage and worth displays the influence of the RAM scarcity, pushed by AI, which has made elements dearer throughout shopper tech. But it bites the Pixel 11 Pro telephones in one other manner: That new entry mannequin comes with solely 12GB of RAM. You’ll nonetheless get 16GB with the 512GB and 1TB storage choices ($1,219 and $1,499 respectively, $50 increased than final yr’s costs), but it surely’s a bummer after final yr’s 10 Pro collection all shipped with 16GB.

Google says that this discount in RAM doesn’t matter as a lot, since its 11 Pro telephones are quicker and smoother than final yr’s because of optimizations in silicon and software program. I wasn’t capable of take a look at this declare, because the Pixel 11 Pro evaluate unit Google despatched me had 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM, but it surely’s price preserving in thoughts.

With these issues, the Pixel 11 Pro begins off with compromises, which progressed as I spent extra time gaming on the cellphone.

What it’s prefer to play video games on the Pixel 11 Pro

As with final yr’s Pixel 10 Pro, the brand new Pixel 11 Pro stands out amongst different telephones with its 6.3-inch OLED show. Details are crisp with its 2,856×1,280-pixel decision and colours are vivid with HDR10 Plus help. 

Once once more, the three,600-nit most brightness units the Pixel 11 Pro’s display other than rivals, permitting me to play in direct daylight and brightening up darkish rooms. Other telephones are catching up, with screens on this yr’s Samsung Galaxy S26 at 2,600 nits and the iPhone 17 Pro Max at 3,000 nits. But the Pixel 11 Pro retains its lead, displaying a surprising array of colours and particulars from video games of all genres.

The cellphone itself is comfy sufficient to carry and play. While it’s bodily similar to the Pixel 10 Pro from final yr, the steel body ringing the edges feels barely extra polished, main my fingers to slide on it whereas gaming — maybe the tiniest nitpick I’ve ever had with a cellphone. The vast digicam bump on the again of the Pixel 11 Pro rises up sufficient to make for an honest finger maintain, although unavoidably touching the bump’s steel rim and glass turns into an issue when the handset heats up throughout high-graphics gaming (extra on that later). 

The twin audio system on the high and backside of the gadget pump out admirable sound. Like a whole lot of telephones, the speaker on the underside fringe of the cellphone might be simply lined by a finger when holding the handset sideways to play video games, which cuts off half the audio — unlucky, however not unusual. 

What is extraordinarily uncommon in gaming are the sound points I bumped into whereas enjoying the motion RPG Diablo Immortal, through which the audio sometimes switched into an echoing, garbled mess. I’d by no means skilled this earlier than.

Most video games have touchscreen controls within the type of components of the display transformed to digital buttons, that are appropriate, if clunky, requirements when enjoying on an all-glass show. The Pixel 11 Pro had suitably responsive contact controls, and the one bother was with my very own fats thumbs incorrectly urgent one a part of the show as a substitute of one other. A bodily wrap-around controller is a giant improve for many video games, and I relished utilizing my Backbone One to play Dead Cells and others that depend on quick responses with a spread of choices to dodge or assault.

Unlike another premium Android telephones, the Pixel 11 Pro has magnets embedded in its rear cowl (playfully known as Pixelsnap) that makes it suitable with a whole lot of equipment, together with wi-fi chargers. I used to be capable of snap on an official Apple MagSafe charger and play whereas juicing it again up, which was handy — and useful. The cellphone’s 4,850-mAh battery lasted awhile by means of gaming, however its wired charging maxes out at 30 watts, which is slower than different telephones, however I fear concerning the warmth buildup if it have been any quicker. Its Qi2.2-supporting wi-fi charging tops out at 25 watts. Being capable of high up in the midst of a play session was good, even when it doesn’t match the quicker 45-watt capability of a cellphone such because the Samsung Galaxy S26 Plus and even the 60-watt charging of the Galaxy S26 Ultra. 

The Pixel 11 Pro’s gaming issues are within the current Tensor

While the Pixel collection’ Tensor chips energy superior AI options resembling Magic Eraser and dwell translation, they’ve been underpowered in comparison with different silicon in benchmark testing, with Pixel telephones routinely coming in decrease than units operating Snapdragon chips such because the Samsung Galaxy S26 collection. Silicon makes an enormous distinction in graphically intensive duties, like gaming. 

It stands to cause that the Pixel 11 Pro’s Tensor G6 chip is what retains it from mustering the higher-tier graphics capabilities that different premium telephones obtain. When I loaded up Diablo Immortal, the sport defaulted to the bottom graphical setting attainable, and even simply ratcheting that as much as medium with a quicker framerate, a pop-up warned me that I used to be risking overheating and battery drain. 

Typical play, even with increased graphics settings, bought the cellphone heat however not toasty, solely reaching harmful ranges of warmth after I had it plugged in to recharge and was downloading extra sport content material. The digicam block on the again of the cellphone turned uncomfortable to the touch with its steel rim and glass atop the cameras. Most video games didn’t do that, and it was solely in particular circumstances that the warmth hit regarding ranges, but it surely nonetheless leads me to conclude that the cellphone’s warmth administration isn’t fairly pretty much as good as different premium telephones throughout graphically heavy duties.

It’s price mentioning that, with warmth administration issues, I eliminated Google’s official case off the cellphone to make sure warmth may escape off the again and sides. This made the nice and cozy steel on the edges of the cellphone much less comfy to carry, however hopefully would hold it from cooking throughout the case.

Then there’s the sector of pink. I loaded up Genshin Impact, an older Hoyoverse sport that’s presumably extra optimized than extra just lately launched titles resembling Wuthering Waves. Yet after I booted up Genshin (after downloading the aforementioned 55GB of content material), I loaded into the sport’s world to search out it awash in pink, a layer of obfuscating colour that made it inconceivable to inform what was occurring. Clearly, it was a graphical glitch, however one I reproduced time and again. Perhaps this shall be ironed out in a patch, however I’ve by no means had a significant cellular sport develop into unplayable simply when dropping in.

Combined with the odd audio points on Diablo Immortal (once more, one thing that hasn’t occurred when loading the sport on different telephones), I’m uncertain whether or not that is simply post-launch glitching that’ll be fastened in rapid patches or a deeper difficulty with the cellphone’s {hardware}. It’s bothersome for positive, although fortunately the one weird points I bumped into throughout the half-dozen video games I performed.

Overall, the Pixel 11 Pro stays gaming cellphone for its incredible show, which additionally shines whenever you’re taking pictures and watching movies and TV reveals. Other issues hold it from being a high advice for taking part in video games, but when it’s a secondary or tertiary precedence above images and AI, the Pixel 11 Pro would serve you nicely — and hopefully these glitches received’t have an effect on the video games you need to play.