Google Pixel 10's RAM Allocation: Balancing AI Performance and User Accessibility

The Pixel 10 comes with 12GB of RAM, but Google has locked some of it away

The Pixel 10 might have 12GB of RAM onboard, but you can't use it all for your apps. The Google Pixel 10 series has plenty of new features for both fans and newcomers. As is Google's current direction of travel, many of these focus on new or improved AI tools. However, leaning heavily on AI to power smartphones requires a few changes to how we usually think about running apps. Typically, when we open an app, we expect it to appear within a second or so, with the phone quickly fetching it from storage and loading it into RAM. Larger applications, such as games, take longer, and we tend to accept that. Waiting several seconds or even up to a minute feels fine if we're about to spend the next half an hour playing. AI is different. We want it to feel as instant as an app, yet it comes with the memory demands of something closer to a game. Even the smallest AI models weigh in at several gigabytes, far more than the few hundred megabytes most apps require. Loading them each time would be painfully slow. The workaround is to keep the AI model resident in RAM and ready to go, but that means less memory is left for apps and games. Last year, Google played it safe with the Pixel 9 lineup. The 12GB Pixel 9 left all memory available for apps, only loading its AI model when needed. Meanwhile, the 16GB Pixel 9 Pro models dedicated just under 3GB of RAM to AI, keeping it always on tap. Casual users may not have noticed, but power users who leaned heavily on AI features would likely have enjoyed the extra responsiveness on the Pro. With the Pixel 10, Google has changed course. Now, even the standard model partitions around 3GB of RAM specifically for AI, ensuring responsiveness on par with the Pro-tier phones, at the expense of memory for apps and games. Once again, we can confirm that Google's AICore service and the Tensor G5's TPU live in this partition, meaning the reserved memory isn't available even if a large game or heavy multitasking session starts to push the limits of free RAM. So is this good or bad? Well, that depends. AI is central to the modern Pixel experience, and Google clearly expects customers to regularly use live Voice Translate, missed call transcriptions, Pixel Journal, and all the other features that leverage AI to make the handsets a bit more unique. Keeping its new Nano model in memory ensures these tools feel snappy and seamless to launch. For everyday use, around 8GB of usable RAM is still more than enough to juggle multiple apps and even a game or two without force-closing any applications. Still, the heaviest multitaskers may prefer the 16GB Pro models, but the Pixel 10 should satisfy the vast majority of users. On the other hand, if you rarely touch Google's AI features, having 3GB permanently locked away sitting idle certainly feels like wasted potential.

Think the Pixel 10 has 12GB of versatile system RAM? Think again

The Pixel 10 ships with 12GB of RAM, but you'll only ever have about 8GB available for your apps and games. That's because, as Android Authority discovered, Google is carving out roughly 3.5GB exclusively for its Gemini-powered AI framework. It's a permanent, AI-only memory partition (in technical terms, "unevictable"), and it keeps the Nano model and AICore service resident in RAM at all times. What services can use what memory? It turns out some people actually do use AI On paper, this isn't new. The Pixel 9 Pro had a similar setup, with 2.6GB reserved for AI out of its 16GB pool. But this is the first time the restriction is hitting the base model, meaning Pixel 10 buyers are losing a quarter of their advertised memory before the phone even boots. Why? Because instant AI is the pitch. Features like real-time voice translation, live call summaries, and Pixel Journal don't feel magical if they take 10 seconds to spin up. And since AI models weigh several gigabytes each, the only way to keep them fast is to keep them always loaded in RAM. Google is betting that seamless AI will matter more to users than the headroom for a few extra apps. For now, that bet is probably safe. Eight gigs of usable system memory is still plenty for 2025 workloads. You can bounce between Instagram, Chrome, Gmail, and even a heavy 3D game without seeing reloads. And honestly, most people never noticed the difference between 12GB and 16GB in last year's phones, either. Here's the rub: looking to the future But the Pixel 10 isn't just a 2025 phone. It's also a 2031 phone, according to Google's seven-year update promise. And that's where things get messy. By the end of its support cycle, it's entirely possible that today's "spare" 3.5GB will feel like a luxury we can't afford to lock away. Apps keep getting heavier, multitasking expectations keep growing, and the OS itself will inevitably demand more resources. Future Android and app devs might assume 12GB means 12GB for system use, but Pixel 10 owners will be stuck with less. Google's decision isn't indefensible. If you lean on Gemini daily, having its Nano model always on tap is a clear win. But the company's marketing still feels a little slippery. When the spec sheet says "12GB RAM," consumers reasonably assume that means 12GB of system memory -- not 8.5GB plus a secret AI tax. The truth is, this is as much a messaging problem as a hardware one. Google could have flipped the narrative: "12GB for your apps plus 3.5GB for AI." That framing makes the Pixel 10 sound more capable than its rivals instead of less. Instead, we're left asking if seven years from now, the Pixel 10 will feel artificially constrained by a decision made for today's AI hype cycle. Because right now, everything's fine. But the long game? That's where this restriction could really sting. Google Pixel 10 9 / 10 SoC Google Tensor G5 RAM 12GB Storage 128GB / 256GB Battery 4970mAh This striking-looking addition to the Pixel line offers a slew of Gemini features, an 5x telephoto lens, and seven years of updates, making this a smartphone that will last you a while. $799 at Amazon $799 at Best Buy Expand Collapse

Google Pixel 10 Has Less RAM Than You May Think -- and AI Is To Blame

The Google Pixel 10's focus on on-device AI may end up holding back its performance long-term, based on discoveries made by Android Authority. AA discovered that, while the base Pixel 10 comes with 12GB RAM, about 3.4GB of it is permanently locked off to run the AICore background service and to assist the Tensor G5's TPU (the AI-focused part of the chipset). Therefore users only have free access to 8.6GB of RAM capacity. Something similar happened with the Pixel 9 Pro models last year, but notably not the basic Pixel 9. But a key difference is that these phones had a smaller 2.6GB reservation, and all the Pro models had 16GB RAM total to play with as they do this year. The reserved RAM is there to prevent the need to load the AI back-end into memory each time the user wants to access it. It means that features like Magic Cue, Voice Translate and Pixel Studio are always ready to go, rather than leaving you to stare at a loading screen before doing anything productive. Locking off three-and-a-half gigs of RAM is less of an issue on the Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL and the yet unreleased Pixel 10 Pro Fold, as these all use 16GB RAM. But this is over a quarter of the base Pixel 10's RAM that users will never be able to take advantage of on their own terms, unless Google changes things with an update. If you are a keen user of Pixel AI features, then keeping the underlying processes in RAM at all times means there's minimal loading and processing time, letting you experience these features in the best possible way. However, when you're not trying to use these features, and instead want to jump between apps or play a game, this is going to be more troublesome. How often you'll end up hitting the memory ceiling on a Pixel 10 and have to close and reload apps will depend on what you're trying to do, but the possibility is higher than with other devices. This could become more likely over time as well, since with Google's software update promise, the Pixel 10 will keep getting updates until 2032. This could mean future, more demanding apps could struggle to work on the Pixel 10 while other 12GB RAM phones without the AI restriction will do just fine. And if Google wants to increase the size of its AI models down the line, then we may end up with even less. You can check out our Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro and Pixel 10 Pro XL reviews, plus our Pixel 10 Pro Fold hands-on at these links. There, you can read our thoughts on these phones' new and upgraded AI features, and figure out if it's worth permanently giving up some of your device's memory for in your particular case.

Google Requires 3GB RAM From The Pixel 10 For Running AI-Related Tasks, Meaning That You Will Have Less Memory Available For Apps

The Pixel 10 has received a decent specifications bump compared to last year, with Google adding its first 3nm Tensor G5 to the entire lineup, but in the memory department, the company's base model continues to ship with 12GB RAM. Of course, the company was probably counting on eagle-eyed individuals to find out the remaining tidbits of its newest flagship series. For this year, you cannot utilize the entire aforementioned RAM for your daily activities because the company has allocated 3GB of that for AI-related operations. Now, if you think that is a terrible decision, read on to find out why Google went with this approach. What the Pixel 10 series lacks in performance compared to the competition, Google has ensured its devices have an edge in AI-related operations. Sadly, for that, the company requires a small amount of RAM for the Tensor NPU and AICore. As reported by Android Authority, the Mountain View giant has taken a different route on how much memory it requires for the Neural Processing Unit, and it is something that is completely opposite to what it did with the Pixel 9. For the latter, all applications had access to that 12GB memory, with the operating system loading the required amount of RAM into the AI model when necessary. Now, as evidenced by the image below, whether users appreciate the change or not, 3GB of RAM is allocated for the aforementioned tasks, and if you are wondering why Google made this change in a span of a single smartphone generation, here is the honest answer for you. Those who had a propensity for leveraging Google's AI features might have noticed a delay when firing them up on the Pixel 9, and that is because it would take a while for them to be loaded on the available memory. Now, this operation will be instantaneous, making the Pixel 10 more responsive for these kinds of tasks. Unfortunately, not enough apps will be open in the background now, meaning you have to opt for the Pixel 10 Pro, which ships with 16GB RAM, to obtain that flexibility. Then again, casual users can easily get through the day with the remaining 9GB of memory on the Pixel 10, and if Google continues to push software updates that will improve the operating system's RAM usage efficiency, even the base model will suffice. For now, you can order the Pixel 10 from Amazon and get a free $100 gift card in the process if you think that you will be more than alright with that 12GB RAM count. On the other hand, if you are one of those power users who appreciates a memory upgrade, you will have already set your sights on either the Pixel 10 Pro or the Pixel 10 Pro XL, with each purchase granting you a $200 gift card for no extra charge.

Want The Pixel 10's Entire 12GB RAM To Yourself? Here Is An Easy Fix, If You Do Not Mind Slower AI Operations

Google's RAM count for the Pixel 9 and Pixel 10 did not change, but to claim its supremacy in the AI race and for its relevant features to open up faster, the company decided to allocate 3GB of RAM to the Tensor TPU. Unfortunately, that meant you would only have 9GB of memory available for the remaining tasks, such as running apps on the Pixel 10, which might not make for a pleasant experience, especially if you wanted the majority of those programs to run in the background. Fortunately, there is a way for you to utilize the entire 12GB RAM with a few simple steps. Having 12GB of RAM on an Android smartphone gives you plenty of flexibility as it raises the multitasking bar, letting you run a plethora of apps in the background while also having enough memory for taxing programs like games to deliver that fluid experience. With the Pixel 9 from last year, AI operations would only use the device's RAM when required, and while that meant that there would be more memory available for the operating system, it slowed down the aforementioned tasks, resulting in a sluggish experience. Naturally, Google had to introduce some kind of compromise with the Pixel 10, but if you do not have an affinity towards these AI tasks, you can outright disable them, keeping that 3GB RAM count to yourself. All you have to do is head over to the Settings menu, then tap on Apps. From there, tap on All apps, and you will see a 'three dot' menu at the top-right corner. Over here, you will notice the Show system, and once you tap on that, you will easily spot AI Core, after which you can select it and disable the service. For those who have trouble going over these instructions, you can follow the steps below. Settings > Apps > All apps > Show system > AI Core As stated above, committing to these steps will free up the system memory, but it will make AI processes slow. Then again, if you think that 12GB of RAM on the Pixel 10 is a little low for your liking, you can always opt for the Pixel 10 Pro, which ships with 16GB RAM, but you will have to raise your budget. Fortunately, Amazon is giving you a $200 gift card for your troubles, but remember to opt for the 256GB storage version since this variant is kitted out with UFS 4.0 technology instead of the slower UFS 3.1 on the 128GB models.