We all know that it won’t be until next year’s Pixel 10 series when Google’s fully customized Tensor G5 application processor (AP) will debut. Not only did Google design the chipset from scratch, but it will be manufactured by the world’s largest foundry, TSMC, using its 3nm process node. Previous Tensor chips, including this year’s Tensor G4 AP powering the upcoming Pixel 9 line, were based on Samsung Exynos SoCs and built by Samsung Foundry.
While next year’s Tensor G5 might be considered a big deal, for some reason a leaked promotional image for the Pixel 9 Pro calls the Tensor G4 “game changing.” The Tensor G5 has reached the tape-out stage which means that the design of the chipset has been completed and it is now up to the foundry to manufacture the component. With the Tensor G5 not expected to be found in a Pixel phone until next year, Google is ahead of schedule. This way, if it finds a major issue with the chip, it has time to fix it before the AP is released along with the Pixel 10 line.
This isn’t to say that the Tensor G4 isn’t an improvement over the Tensor G3 AP powering the Pixel 8 series. The latter has a configuration including one performance core, four efficiency-performance cores, and three efficiency cores. The Tensor G4 AP carries one performance core, three efficiency-performance cores, and four efficiency cores. Even with a small difference in its build, the Tensor G4 was 33% faster than its predecessor when benchmarked on AnTuTu.
Leaked Pixel 9 promo calls the Tensor G4 AP game changing. | Image credit 91mobiles
However, the Tensor G4 SoC would be expected to underperform in head-to-head tests against the component’s competitors such as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 (designed by Qualcomm) and the Dimensity 9300 and 9300+ (designed by MediaTek). All of those chips are built by TSMC.
Whether we can say that the Tensor G4’s faster speed compared to last year’s Tensor G3 makes the new chipset “game changing” is something we will have to wait to see when the Pixel 9 line is released. That “game changing” title would seem to better fit the Tensor G5 with the new customized Google design from scratch bringing many new features to the Pixel 10 models. And don’t overlook the move from Samsung Foundry to TSMC where the new SoC will be built on the foundry’s 3nm process node.
