Google responds to lackluster benchmark scores of Tensor G4 inside the Pixel 9 line

[Redaktion]

The Google Pixel 9 lineup launched with a new SoC, the Tensor G4. Like the predecessors, it can't quite match the flagship Snapdragon and Dimensity chips in benchmarks, but Google says that it wasn't designed to excel in performance benchmarks to begin with.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Google-responds-to-lackluster-benchmark-scores-of-Tensor-G4-inside-the-Pixel-9-line.877326.0.html

[Moha]

Helps to clarify what SoC means

[Phil7474]

SoC = system on chip

[Chrisstopherlee]

Pay high price for mid range proc... We reach another level.

[bingus]

literally any other phone with pixel experience can do better

[Randy chan]

After reading this article it seems like Google keeps side stepping the facts that their Tensor G4 pales in comparison to Qualcomm snapdragon 8 Gen 4 and Media Tek dimensity 9400. When the Tensor chip debuted in 2021 Google kept mentioning that Tensor was all about AI rather than performance benchmarks. Well guess what,in 2024 8 Gen 3 is ahead of Tensor G3 in AI. Compared to Qualcomm and Media Tek, Google Tensor has delivered only hollow promises which is why I've always maintained Google should have never ditched Qualcomm.

[Adrian S]

At least they matched something, the flagship prices with this series 👎

[AndyChow]

Definitely a generation to skip. Same TPU as the previous, and not useful with llms, barely used for anything but photography applications..
Given that it's the only phone that does vanilla well, has an open boot loader and will run lineageos perfectly, I still recommend it over any other phone.
Hopefully next year Google comes up with a better SoC.

[AndyChow]

Helps to clarify what SoC means

You could just search the term. It's a combination of most chips into a single one. Typically the CPU and GPU, and the IO (storage chip aka south-bridge), but also often a NPU or TPU for matrix operation acceleration (search Google if you don't understand some term), a DSP for image capture, a 5G modem. Some of those things might be on separate chips.
It rarely includes RAM, usually that's a separate chip.

[wondows]

I'm not really sure why anyone considers Pixels anything except phones for Android devs.
They are the only ones who benefit from fast updates + barebones Android + long support, and don't care much about peak performance.
Pixel always was an obligatory phone for every dev for app testing, just to put it into a work desk and walk around with an iPhone. Google's attempt to market it to wider audience is quite meh, but there's always several brand fans, so why not.

[aJs]

I think most people who talks bad about Pixels honestly have never used one.

[Had one (ex-Pixer'er)]

I think most people who talks bad about Pixels honestly have never used one.

Pixels are very good in the the honeymoon phase (first few weeks/months). They're good at it because they feel good in the hands and get basics right. Then this phase tends to end quite quickly and you realise you just spent hundreds on a device that is comparable to rest now as competition has caught up. That having a longer update policy can be a con in that they often make changes that can break stuff or make features worse. It gets boring because there really isn't much you can do with them being stuck on a phoneOS (TBF this applies to almost all phone/tablet devices) + limited capabilities of Tensor SoCs. That you pretty much bought into the marketing hype. These are just AI vessels for Google to pump more of their own LLMs. Their camera's while decent the underlying algorithms which made them so ground breaking several years ago, hasn't really changed all that much now. All they do is barely incremental improvements.

[VNavale]

I don't mind that Google are not using the greatest/fastest chip. But if they are using a slower chip they shouldn't be charging the same price as the iPhone equivalent which have better chip. They should charge a lower price.

[Kevin Wimberly]

Ok. Thanks for the article. Same lack luster performances just like the last Pixel phones, only more AI for Google to screw your phone up with. I left Pixel phones because I am sick of Google screwing up their phones with under performance and littered with software issues they expect us to weed out for them. To hell with that.

[Terry]

I'll leave this real work test here....interesting...
youtu.be/SucwT88p0oY?si=EGLwvpVCtUyp4VqO