Pixel 10 Reserves 3GB RAM for AI: Smarter or Limiting?

Google’s new Pixel 10 might look like a straightforward upgrade with its fresh 3nm Tensor G5 chip and a base 12GB of RAM, but there’s a twist: 3GB of that memory is locked away exclusively for AI tasks. That leaves everyday users with 9GB of usable RAM on the standard model. The move has sparked debate – some see it as a clever optimization, while others worry about multitasking limits.

Why did Google make this call? With the Pixel 9, AI features had to load into RAM on demand, which meant users sometimes noticed delays.

On the Pixel 10, the dedicated AI slice ensures instant responsiveness for features like photo edits, voice commands, and live translations. In short, the phone is smarter and snappier – at the expense of background app juggling.

For power users, this means the Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL, each with 16GB RAM, look more appealing. But for most, 9GB is still plenty for daily apps like YouTube, WhatsApp, or Netflix. Add Google’s promise of improved RAM efficiency in future updates, and the base Pixel 10 could easily hold its ground.

Google sweetens the deal with free gift cards – $100 with the Pixel 10 and $200 with Pro models. But in the end, it comes down to priorities: if you want the fastest AI on tap, Google’s gamble makes sense. If you’d rather keep every ounce of memory for multitasking, you might see it as a downgrade.