Google finally launched its much - anticipatedPixel 9 , 9 Pro , 9 Pro XL , and Pixel 9 Pro Foldsmartphones on August 13th . As carry , all four smartphones are power by the Tensor G4 CPU , an upgrade to last year ’s Tensor G3 .
Since Tensor chips turn antecedently have a bad reputation for overheating , throttling easily , and reducing performance when push hard , I was rum if it was the case with the G4 too . Now that I ’ve got my hand on the Pixel 9 series , countenance ’s test the Tensor G4 and see if it ’s any adept .
Note : Throughout the benchmarks , you ’ll notice that our Pixel 9 Pro XL scores higher than the Pixel 9 . That ’s partially because it has a vapour chamber , which the smaller Pixel lacks . We ’ve used 256 GB variants of both phone here .
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Google Tensor G4: Specifications
The Samsung - made Tensor G4 is n’t a Brobdingnagian acclivity from the G3 . While the latter was a nine - core CPU , the Tensor G4 is an octa - Congress of Racial Equality chipset . This was surprising , as Samsung themselves switch from eight to ten cores on their Exynos 2400 for theGalaxy S24 , whereas Google boil down a core . While the remaining cores are new and clocked high than before , the performance improvement seem to be minimum .
Here are spec high spot of the Tensor G4 compared to the Tensor G3 . For a elaborate look , suss out ourTensor G4 vs. G3 comparison .
Google Tensor G4: AnTuTu Benchmark
The Tensor G4 is only somewhat faster than last year ’s Tensor G3 . With a grievance under a million , it ’s far from agree the raw power of the up-to-the-minute Snapdragon chips , such as the 8 Gen 3 and 8 Gen 2 . In fact , it ’s close to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 which is a three - class - old processor already .
Google Tensor G4: Geekbench 6 Scores
We also tested the Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL speech sound on Geekbench 6 , and here are the results . Again , with a single - core score of 1918 and a multi - core score of 4319 , it ’s very near to the Snapdragon 8 + Gen 1 . These tests were conducted at elbow room temperature ; however , score start to throw away apace when you repeat the mental test .
Google Tensor G4: 3DMark WildLife Stress Test
The Tensor G4 is n’t a great processor when it comes to stability . In WildLife Stress Test , which tests the phone ’s free burning graphics performance under heavy shipment , Pixel 9 and 9 Pro XL yielded a stability account of 68.3%which is quite median for a flagship chip .
Google Tensor G4: CPU Throttling Test
On a 15 - minute of arc CPU throttle test , the Tensor G4 , unfortunately , meets the same fate as the G3 and G2 , with the earphone heating system up and the CPU throttling to a whopping 45 % of its maximum performance . The graphical record get down all light-green but slowly declines into the orange - cherry district , where it keeps fluctuating .
It ’s dissatisfactory to see Google ’s latest central processing unit strangulate to less than half of its top execution in a unretentive stress test , especially in way temperatures during the monsoon season . Summers will be tough on this potato chip , particularly if you endure in India or other South Asiatic regions .
Google Tensor G4: Geekbench AI Score
How’s the Tensor G4 Chipset Overall?
In everyday use , merge with the Pixel UI ’s smooth animations , haptics , and optimization , the Tensor G4 feels like a good overall processor . However , its limitations become plain when you push it with heavy game or tasks like video editing . It scores averagely on AnTuTu , close in on about 1 million , while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 about doubles that . Moreover , the headphone heats up and slow up down under pressure , sometimes to less than half its full focal ratio .
candidly , the Tensor G4 experience is n’t that different from the G3 . If you had issues with that one , you ’ll in all probability have them here too . Pixel phones have never been about naked as a jaybird office or beating benchmarks , so I ca n’t charge Google entirely . But if you ’re consider about the Pixel 9 , do n’t expect a powerhouse . It ’s got other strengths , like a keen UI , excellent camera , and useful AI features , but performance is n’t one of them .
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