TL;DR
- Leaked benchmarks of the Pixel 9 series give us a first look at the Tensor G4 chip and its new 1+3+4 core configuration.
- The benchmark numbers show modest performance improvements compared to the Pixel 8.
According to benchmark test results posted by Rozetked, the Tensor G4 sports an 8-core configuration: one Cortex-X4 running at 3.1 GHz, three Cotrex-A720 at 2.6 GHz, and four Cortex-A520 at 1.95 GHz. In terms of changes, the G4 witnesses a reduction in core count, transitioning to an 8-core setup compared to the 9-core setup on the Tensor G3, along with an uptick in clock speeds across all cores.
From the images, we can see that AnTuTu scores for the Pixel 9 phones range from 1.07 million to 1.17 million points, with the Pixel 9 Pro XL scoring the highest. For context, the Pixel 8 base model achieves around 900,000 points.
Furthermore, Google’s upcoming foldable, which is also expected to launch alongside the Pixel 9 series, is likely to share the same internal specifications. However, given the space constraints within the foldable’s design, its benchmark numbers may fall within a similar range to the Pixel 9 series.
The performance gains don’t seem too drastic as of now. However, it’s crucial to remember that these tests were conducted on non-final software, and Google could further optimize the performance before launch.
While the Tensor G4’s configuration and performance are comparable to the current Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, it’s worth noting that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 4 will launch just a few months after the Pixel 9 series. This could potentially leave the Pixel phones trailing behind other Android flagships in terms of raw performance yet again.
The Pixel 9 series’ performance outlook is further complicated by the expected switch to TSMC for the Tensor G5 chip in the Pixel 10. TSMC is known for its superior power efficiency and performance metrics, potentially leaving the Pixel 9 series in a challenging position with the prospect of a much better-performing Pixel on the horizon.
