Latest benchmark test has some very concerned about the performance of the Tensor G5 AP
Benchmark scores for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold have some worried about the Tensor G5 application processor.
The Pixel 10 series will be unveiled on August 20 and we could see the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold released on August 28th. The phones will be powered by the Tensor G5 application processor (AP) designed by Google from the ground up for the first time. This will allow certain exclusive Pixel features to be designed right into the chipset. For the first time, the Tensor AP will be manufactured by TSMC instead of Samsung Foundry.
The Pixel 10 Fold was put through the Geekbench Benchmark test, and it revealed some worrisome info about the Tensor G5 AP. First, the test confirmed that the Tensor G5 has an octa-core configuration made up of the following:
- 1x Cortex-X4 Prime CPU core running at a clock speed of 3.78 GHz.
- 5x Cortex-A725 premium-efficiency CPU core running at a clock speed of 3.05 GHz.
- 2x Cortex-A520 high-efficiency CPU core running at a clock speed of 2.25GHz.
- The GPU is the PowerVR D-Series DXT-48-1536.
The Instructions Per Cycle (IPC) score for a chip can be approximately computed by dividing the single-core Geekbench score by the CPU's clock speed. With this in mind, here are some results for the last two Tensor APs and some other recent APs as posted on Reddit:
- Snapdragon 8g3 (2024): 2213/3.3 = 670.6/GHz
- Dimensity 9300 (2024): 2264/3.25 = 696.6/GHz
- Exynos 2400 (2024): 2230/3.21 = 694.7/GHz
- Tensor G4 (2024): 1958/3.1 = 631.6/GHz
- Tensor G5 (2025): 2276/3.78 = 602.1/GHz
These numbers don't look good for the Tensor G5 since it shows the Tensor G4 as being more efficient at executing instructions than the new AP. It also shows the Tensor G5 IPC as having an IPC score 15% lower than the IPC tally for the Dimensity 9300 and the Exynos 2400(!). Remember, this is not an absolutely perfect IPC calculation, but it does give us an approximation.
The latest Geekbench test for the Pixel 10 Fold has some worried about the Tensor G5 AP. | Image credit-Geekbench
Another red flag about the Tensor G5 was mentioned by another Redditor who pointed out that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has a similar configuration to the Tensor G5 with 1x X4, 5x A720, 2x A520. The only differences are that the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 uses an older premium-efficiency core (A720 vs A725), runs on lower clock speeds, but still manages to have a higher multi-core score than the Tensor G5.
Some suggest that Google throttled the AP because this is the next iteration of the foldable Pixel, not one of the regular slab phones. Also, there is the possibility that this is a test on a very early version of the chip. We've seen Geekbench scores improve as a particular phone moved closer to its release date. There are still about six weeks left until the Pixel 10 series gets released, so the Tensor G5 could see better scores. However, until we see better Geekbench for the Tensor G5, this latest benchmark test is concerning.
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