Tensor G4 in Pixel 9 will deliver 2023 speeds

Google's Pixel phones have never been known for their performance and the Pixel 9 series is going to be no different. While Pixel users have learned not to expect blazing-fast speeds, the Pixel 9 could still disappoint a bit.

Google initially wanted to equip the Pixel 9 family with a fully custom chip but since that chip isn't ready yet, the company will reportedly opt for a semi-custom SoC called Tensor G4 co-designed with Samsung. And while the Tensor G4 will reportedly switch to a different configuration and employ new cores, the fact that it's codenamed Zuma Pro makes you wonder if it's merely a slightly updated version of the Tensor G3, which is known as Zuma.

According to a new report from Android Authority, the two chips have a lot in common and the Tensor G4 will barely be any faster than the Tensor G3, which fuels the Pixel 8.

The Tensor G4 will feature one Cortex-X4 core running at 3.1 GHz, three Cortex-A720 cores clocked at 2.6 GHz, and Cortex-A520 cores with a peak frequency of 1.95 GHz. In contrast, the Tensor G3 is based on an older Arm design, uses four medium cores, and features slightly slower clock speeds.

It looks like any performance boost offered by the new and faster cores will be offset by the removal of one core, resulting in multi-core performance that will only be an improvement of 3 percent over the Tensor G3. The single-core performance will get an 11 percent boost, per a leaked Geekbench listing.

Apparently, Google has updated the core layout to prevent overheating, which is a common problem with the Pixel 8. Another thing Google is reportedly doing to make the devices run cooler is equipping them with the Exynos Modem 5400, which is around 50 percent more power-efficient than the Exynos Modem 5300.

The chipset will feature the same Mali-G715 GPU as the Tensor G3 but it will be clocked a little higher.