Pixel 11 series went official last week at the 2026 ‘Made by Google’ event. The lineup includes four models, including the Pixel 11 Pro, Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. While there aren’t any major design changes, there are some noteworthy upgrades under the hood. There’s the new Tensor G6 chip. While it’s not as big an upgrade as expected, Pixel 11 gets a major change: a MediaTek-made modem that Google claims delivers faster performance and is more power-efficient.
Google claims Pixel 11’s MediaTek modem delivers faster performance
If you’re a Pixel user, you’ll know modems have been a complaint point about Google’s Tensor chips over the years. In fact, the first two generations of Tensor chips, made closely based on Samsung’s Exynos chips, had major network performance issues. On its part, Google did improve things with later generations, with things mostly resolved by the time of Pixel 8 and Tensor G3.
Although Tensor G5 from 2025 was Google’s first entirely self-developed and TSMC-made chip, it still relied on a Samsung modem. Well, this year’s Tensor G6 changes things up for good. Especially if you care for the Pixel ecosystem.
Significant upgrade to connectivity
The Pixel 11 series and Tensor G6 use a MediaTek modem, aligning with past rumors. FCC listings and the baseband found on the new devices confirm the switch. Google has big things to say about the new modem. On its official store, the company notes, “The all-new modem is reliable, faster, and more power-efficient.”
But then, a footnote clarifies that these claims come from pre-production devices in lab-controlled conditions. So the real-world performance could differ. Still, the new MediaTek modem is promising, especially given the connectivity, battery drain, and overheating issues seen with some of Samsung’s modems. We’ll have to wait for real-world testing to see how much of an improvement it actually brings to the Pixel 11.
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