Google's latest Tensor G5 chipset powers the Pixel 10 lineup and this time, users are hoping it finally delivers competitive performance. So in this article, we have compared the Tensor G5 with Qualcomm's three-year-old Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. We have benchmarked both SoCs on Geekbench, AnTuTu, CPU Throttling Test, and more. On that note, let's dive in.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: AnTuTu Score
| AnTuTu Benchmark | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| AnTuTu Score | 1,291,252 | 1,353,467 |
| CPU | 457,073 | 349,896 |
| GPU | 382,578 | 558,318 |
| Memory | 242,613 | 180,184 |
| UX | 208,988 | 265,069 |
Let's start with the AnTuTu benchmark. In our test run, the Pixel 10 Pro, powered by the Tensor G5 processor, scored 1,291,252 points in the AnTuTu benchmark. In comparison, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 achieved 1,353,467 points, just 4.8% higher.
In CPU performance, the Tensor G5 CPU delivered 30% faster performance than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. And in the GPU department, the three-year-old Adreno 740 GPU inside 8 Gen 2 surpassed Tensor G5's new DXT-48-1536 GPU by 46%. Overall, the Tensor G5 has a more powerful CPU than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, but it trails behind in graphics performance.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Geekbench Score
| Geekbench 6 CPU | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Single-core | 2,285 | 1,956 |
| Multi-core | 6,191 | 5,300 |
Now, coming to the Geekbench 6 CPU test, the Tensor G5 scored 2,285 in single-core and 6,191 in multi-core. In contrast, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 achieved 1,956 in single-core and 5,300 in multi-core. Here, Google's Tensor G5 CPU posted about 16% faster performance in single-core and multi-core workloads. It confirms that Tensor G5 indeed has a better CPU than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: CPU Throttling Test
| CPU Throttling Test | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Maximum Score | 408,383 GIPS | 389,674 GIPS |
| Average Score | 289,135 GIPS | 312,518 GIPS |
| Minimum Score | 239,312 GIPS | 264,978 GIPS |
| Throttling Percentage (Higher is better) | 61% | 69% |
Next, in the 15-minute CPU Throttling Test, the Tensor G5 throttled to 61% of its maximum performance while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 did relatively better, posting 69%. If we look closely at the graph, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 maintained peak CPU performance for about six minutes before dropping the performance.
However, the Tensor G5 reduced its frequency just after two minutes and couldn't recover its performance for quite some time. It shows that while the Tensor G5 has a more powerful CPU, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 is better positioned to handle heavy CPU workloads for an extended period.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Benchmark Gallery
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 2: Specs Comparison
| Specs | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 |
| Process Node | TSMC’s 3nm (N3E) | TSMC’s 4nm |
| CPU | 8-core Arm Cortex CPU | 8-core Kryo CPU |
| CPU Cores | 1x Cortex-X4 (3.78GHz), 5x Cortex-A725 (3.05GHz), 2x Cortex-A520 (2.25GHz) | 1x Cortex-X3 (3.2GHz), 2x Cortex-A715 (2.8GHz), 2x Cortex-A710 (2.8GHz), 3x Cortex-A510 (2.0GHz) |
| GPU | Imagination Technologies DXT-48-1536 GPU, No Ray Tracing | Adreno 740 GPU |
| Storage and Memory | Zoned UFS 4.0 (512GB and above) and LPDDR5X | UFS 4.0, LPDDR5X memory, up to 4200MHz |
| NPU | New Google Edge TPU | Hexagon NPU |
| ISP | New ISP, Shoot 4K video at 60 FPS | 18-Bit Spectra, Cognitive ISP |
| Modem | Samsung Exynos 5400 5G modem, Sub-6GHz 5G band support (India) | Snapdragon X70 5G modem, Peak Download Speed 10Gbps, Peak Upload Speed 3.5 Gbps |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 6.0 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3, LE |
Verdict
Summing up, the Tensor G5 indeed packs a solid CPU and performs faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. However, under heavy stress on all CPU cores, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 holds up better over an extended period. As for the GPU performance, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, despite packing a three-year-old GPU, takes a substantial lead against the new Tensor G5 GPU. In my assessment, the Tensor G5 sits somewhere between the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3.
