As we enter August, enthusiasts and fans around the world are waiting for the Google Pixel 9 series to drop on the 13th of the month. While we’ve learned enough details about the models in the lineup and their specifications, we knew almost nothing about the new Tensor G4 chipset that will supposedly power the upcoming smartphones. Will the processor pack in enough power to rival the mainstream flagships, or will it ship with slightly less power but enough machine-learning prowess to compensate?
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Tensor G4: New Cluster Configuration
According to a report by Android Authority, the Tensor G4 will come with a new CPU cluster that contains eight cores instead of the nine cores on the Tensor G3. With a 4+3+1 configuration, the upcoming processor will use the newer ARM v9.2 cores: Cortex A520, Cortex A720, and Cortex X4. Even though all the cores are clocked higher than the ones on the Tensor G3, the loss of one core may negatively impact the multi-core performance.
For those catching up, the Tensor G3 features one prime Cortex X3 core clocked at 2.9GHz, four balanced Cortex A715 cores clocked at 2.4GHz, and four efficient Cortex A510 cores clocked at 1.7GHz. With respect to this, the Tensor G4 features a Cortex X4 prime core clocked at 3.1GHz, three balanced Cortex A720 cores clocked at 2.6GHz, and four Cortex A520 cores at 1.95GHz. Even the GPU on the Tensor G4, the Mali-G715, is clocked at 940MHz against the Mali-G715 MC7 GPU clocked at 890MHz.
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Tensor G4’s Modem Might Consume Less Power Than The One On Tensor G3
Hence, the overall performance (fueled by the improved cores) could be similar to that of the predecessor. The publication also presents results from Geekbench, which reveal an 11% improvement in the single-core score and only 3% in the multi-core score. To sum up, the Tensor G4 might not be as significant an upgrade as everyone expected it to be, especially since it is going to be the fourth-generation processor to power Google’s Pixel phones.
However, that doesn’t mean that there are no improvements here. Besides the minor performance improvement, the Tensor G4 should be much more efficient than the Tensor G3. Optimistically speaking, the new processor might run cooler than the one on the Pixel 8 series, which should help it sustain peak performance for much longer. Google has switched to the Exynos Modem 5400, which, as per the publication’s sources, consumes up to 50% less power than the Exynos Modem 5300 used on the Pixel 8 series.
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While the flagship models in the Pixel 9 series, including the regular Pixel 9 and the two Pixel 9 Pro variants, should feature the improved modem, there’s a chance that the Pixel 9a will be stuck with the old one.
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