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The Google Tensor G3 SoC will launch alongside the Pixel 8 series later this year. That chip, the Tensor G3, just got detailed by a tipster, and it seems like massive upgrades are in tow.
The Tensor G2 was not exactly a powerful chip when it comes to CPU performance. Its cores were basically two generations behind the competition, and Google relied more on AI smarts rather than on the sheer power of that chip.
The Tensor G2 offered a 4+2+2 core layout too, while most other SoC OEMs opted for a 4+3+1 setup with a big core to lead the pack. This info comes from Kamila Wojciechowska, a tipster, who partnered up with Android Authority.
The Google Tensor G3 gets detailed, it will deliver considerable upgrades
With the Tensor G3, Google will opt for a 1+4+4 layout, it seems. Yes, you counted those cores right, we’re looking at a nine-core SoC here. The single big core will be the Cortex-X3, clocked at 3.0GHz.
Four Cortex-A715 cores will also be in use, clocked at 2.45GHz. The four “small” cores will be the Cortex-A510 cores clocked at 2.15GHz. All in all, Google is bringing improvements across the board. We won’t have to deal with the Cortex-A78 and Cortex-A55 cores any longer.
Do note that all of those cores were announced last year, so the Tensor G3 still won’t have the latest and greatest pieces of the puzzle, but it’s closer than ever before… much closer, actually.
ARMv9 support will be included
Now, the sheer fact these upgrades are here basically means that we’ll get a boost in the CPU performance, and also efficiency. On top of that, support for ARMv9 is also included here, so… security upgrades are also in tow.
The tipster says that the Pixel 8 series will use the ARMv9 upgrade to implement Memory Tagging Extensions (MTE) from Arm. This should prevent memory-based attacks. This also means that 32-bit support will be completely gone, but that’s something we expected, and something Google already pushed towards with the Pixel 7 series.
The Tensor G3 will also offer support for UFS 4.0 flash storage
That’s not all, though. The Pixel 8 phones will also support UFS 4.0 flash storage, which is faster and more efficient than UFS 3.1. UFS 4.0 storage is already used by a number of phones, the Galaxy S23 Ultra, OnePlus 11, Xiaomi 13 Ultra, OPPO Find X6 Pro, and more.
On top of everything, the Tensor G3 will also bring a GPU upgrade. Arm’s new Immortalis GPU is expected, the Mali-G715. It is a 10-core GPU, and even though it’s not the latest one, it’s still outstanding. It offers a great performance upgrade, and also support for ray tracing.
It’ll deliver video decoding/encoding upgrades
The Tensor G3 is expected to offer a video decoding/encoding upgrade with the ‘BigWave’ block. AV1 encoding will be added for up to 4K30, while the chip will support encoding up to 8K30. An upgraded TPU is also coming, while a new digital signal processor ‘callisto’ will bring a 4-core, 512KB/core configuration at 1,065MHz.
The Google Tensor G3 will be a 4nm chip, and it will be made by Samsung, it seems. The Pixel 8 series is expected to launch in October this year, alongside this chip.