Google Pixel 9 with Tensor G4 will be much more powerful than Pixel 8 according to these benchmarks, but there’s a catch

The new line of Google Pixel 9 it hasn’t been officially announced yet, but as usual there seems to already be someone with the new devices in hand. Recently, for example, a leak revealed to us that the Pixel 9 will be 3 from the start and that they will all be powered by the Tensor G4 processor. In short, by the end of the year, Google should change the official names of its family and will add an additional model to the range. The new series will include the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro and a Pixel 9 Pro XL model to compete directly with the iPhone 16 Pro Max and Galaxy S25 Ultra.

After revealing the aesthetics, the author of the leak has now decided to also reveal the performance of the Pixel 9, publishing the scores of a whole series of benchmarks. Let’s take a look at it to understand together what changes to expect.

Google Pixel 9 benchmarks

Those who want the best performance from a Pixel 9 model will likely benefit from purchasing the Pixel 9 Pro XL, as it scores the highest in AnTuTu, at least according to the results shared by the usual leak portal Rozetked. The Pixel 8 scored 877,443 points, while the Pixel 9 Pro XL achieved 1,176,410 points, marking a difference of 33 percent.

The strangest thing, however, is that all of Google’s upcoming models are expected to be powered by the Tensor G4, but this is not reflected in the results, which are inferior in the Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 models. The superior cooling solution of the Pixel 9 Pro XL could help the chipset maintain its temperature, allowing it to be faster. However, the Tensor G4 is expected to use Samsung’s FOWLP (Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging) technology, the same technology adopted for the Exynos 2400 and which should increase heat resistance, allowing the SoC to maintain higher levels of multi-media performance. core as its temperature can be controlled for extended periods.

The most likely hypothesis is therefore that Google will use this packaging for the Tensor G4 that powers the Pixel 9 Pro XL, while it will use traditional packaging for the other two devices to save costs. On the other hand, Google has already used a slower Tensor G3 for the Pixel 8a than the other two models, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see a similar strategy on the Pixel 9 line.

As for the Tensor G4, where the SoC’s competitors, such as MediaTek’s Dimensity 9400, are expected to use ARM’s Cortex-X925, Google’s next processor is expected to rely on a single Cortex-X4 clocked at 3.10 GHz , followed by three Cortex-A720 cores for performance, at 2.60 GHz, four Cortex-A520 cores for efficiency, at 1.95 GHz.

From these benchmarks it is clear that the Tensor G4 will not surpass the various Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, Dimensity 9300 or A17 Pro, but if it is faster than the Tensor G3, then it will already be progress. On the other hand the real evolution is expected to come with the Tensor G5, which is said to be mass produced on TSMC’s N3E process.