Pixel 9 leak shows the power of the Tensor G4

Pixel 9 render
(Image credit: TT Technology / YouTube)

Last month, the Russian website Rozetked released photos of the three Pixel 9 models coming this fall, including a brand-new Pixel 9 Pro XL version. Now, the site is back with purported benchmarks of the Tensor G4 chipset that’s powering all three.

Interestingly, the AnTuTu benchmarks record different scores across the three models, despite the site claiming the same chip specs in each. If accurate, this could be down to better heat dissipation in the larger models, but that’s speculation on our part. 

In any case, here are the scores, along with the Pixel 8’s Tensor G3 figure recorded by the site for comparison:

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HandsetAnTuTu scorePercentage increase
Pixel 8877,443N/A
Pixel 91,016,166+15.8%
Pixel 9 Pro1,148,452+30.9%
Pixel 9 Pro XL 1,176,410+34%

According to the site, the Tensor G4 has dropped back down to eight cores, after the nine-core G3. But that has come with an increased clock speed in all eight, with the Cortex-X4 running at 3.1GHz, three Cortex-A720s at 2.6GHz and four Cortex-A520s at 1.95GHz. 

That’s up from 2.91GHz, 2.37GHz and 1.7GHz respectively. Here’s a table from 9to5Google showing the Tensor changes over the years:

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TensorTensor G2Tensor G3Tensor G4 (purported)
2x Cortex-X1 (2.8 GHz)2x Cortex-X1 (2.85 GHz)1x Cortex-X3 (2.91 GHz)1x Cortex-X4 (3.1 GHz)
2x Cortex-A76 (2.25 GHz)2x Cortex-A78 (2.35 GHz)4x Cortex-A715 (2.37 GHz)3x Cortex-A720 (2.6 GHz)
4x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)4x Cortex-A55 (1.8 GHz)4x Cortex-A510 (1.7 GHz)4x Cortex-A520 (1.95 GHz)

Returning to the scores, while these are still some way short of the best Android phones’ AnTuTu performance, it’s important to bear in mind that these are pre-release handsets, and there are likely months of software optimization ahead. In other words, you should expect those numbers to be a bit higher when the phones arrive in October. 

On top of this, Pixel phones are more than the sum of their parts, with Google-made software and hardware working in tandem. There are some solid exclusive AI additions rumored for the next model, too.

All the same, if the numbers haven’t moved significantly by release day, power users may opt to hold off for the Pixel 10, with TSMC said to be taking up production duties of the Tensor G5.

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Alan Martin

Freelance contributor Alan has been writing about tech for over a decade, covering phones, drones and everything in between. Previously Deputy Editor of tech site Alphr, his words are found all over the web and in the occasional magazine too. When not weighing up the pros and cons of the latest smartwatch, you'll probably find him tackling his ever-growing games backlog. Or, more likely, playing Spelunky for the millionth time.