Google may have been designing its own Tensor processor for years, but it remains a copy of the Samsung Exynos chip. And it had to suffer from the start against the Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. Despite that, Google appears to have a lot of faith in the fourth version.
In 2021, Google announced the first Tensor chip. The Tensor G1 in the Pixel 6 was made by Samsung on a 5nm process, as was the G2 from the Pixel 7. Starting with the Tensor G3 in the Google Pixel 8, the switch to 4nm was made although even then performance lagged behind competitors from Qualcomm and MediaTek.
.Interestingly, the Tensor G4 for the Pixel 9 series is also reportedly baked by Samsung at 4nm. Things get more exciting starting with the Tensor G5. Designed entirely by Google, this chipset is made by TSMC on 3nm. And yet Google is already calling the Tensor G4 "game-changing."
Advantages of Tensor G4
Google lists as some advantages of Tensor G4 "24 hours of battery life," "7-years of security updates" and "Pixel Feature Drops." Those are certainly pluses, but to our knowledge they also apply to the Pixel 8 with Tensor G3.
And this is why we repeat the advice Rob de Wijk also always gives; be careful about calling something a "game changer." Of course, we'd love to be surprised by Google with something that proves otherwise. So until then, we'll take this post as marketing.
(via)
