Google has finally launched the Pixel 10 series, debuting its flagship Tensor G5 chipset. This year, the Tensor G5 is fabricated on TSMC's 3nm process node, moving away from Samsung foundry, and it's generating high expectations that it will finally match the competition. So we have compared the Tensor G5 with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 to see how big of a leap Google's chipset brings. On that note, let's check out the benchmark comparison.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: AnTuTu Score
| AnTuTu Benchmark | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| AnTuTu Score | 1,291,252 | 2,087,159 |
| CPU | 457,073 | 440,975 |
| GPU | 382,578 | 860,385 |
| Memory | 242,613 | 427,798 |
| UX | 208,988 | 358,001 |
In our AnTuTu benchmark test, the Pixel 10 Pro, running on the Tensor G5 scored 1,291,252 points while the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 achieved 2,087,159 points. In terms of overall AnTuTu performance, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is around 61% faster than the Tensor G5.
However, if we look at the CPU performance, the Tensor G5 has actually matched the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. The Tensor G5 scored 457,073 points in CPU whereas the 8 Gen 3 got 440,975 points. However, in GPU performance, there is a wide gap as the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 has scored more than twice as high.
Put simply, while the Tensor G5 rivals the two-year-old Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset in CPU performance, it looks like the new DXT-48-1536 GPU inside the Tensor G5 is not competitive in the current market.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Geekbench Score
| Geekbench 6 CPU | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Single-core | 2,285 | 2,183 |
| Multi-core | 6,191 | 6,434 |
Next, in the Geekbench 6 CPU test, the Tensor G5 scored 2,285 in single-core and 6,191 in multi-core. In comparison, Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 achieved 2,183 and 6,434 in single-core and multi-core tasks, respectively. Since both chipsets have a similar CPU setup, featuring a single Cortex-X4 prime core, the CPU performance is also along the same lines.
In single-core, Google's latest Tensor G5 is about 4.7% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and in multi-threaded tasks, the 8 Gen 3 leads by about 3.9%. I would say the Google Tensor G5 evenly matches the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, as far as the CPU performance is concerned.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: CPU Throttling Test
| CPU Throttling Test | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| Maximum Score | 408,383 GIPS | 397,971 GIPS |
| Average Score | 289,135 GIPS | 290,518 GIPS |
| Minimum Score | 239,312 GIPS | 249,129 GIPS |
| Throttling Percentage (Higher is better) | 61% | 64% |
To evaluate CPU throttling, we ran the 15-min CPU Throttling Test on the Tensor G5 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. In this test, the Tensor G5 throttled to 61% of its maximum performance, and the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 did relatively better, posting about 64%.
If we look closely at the chart, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 maintained its peak CPU performance for a little longer than the Tensor G5. Both chipsets drop performance on heavy all-core CPU workloads, but the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 slowly reduces its frequency over time, as opposed to Tensor G5's quick drop in performance.
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Benchmark Gallery
Google Tensor G5 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 3: Specs Comparison
| Specs | Tensor G5 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| 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-X4 (3.3GHz), 3x Cortex-A720 (3.2GHz), 2x Cortex-A720 (3.0GHz), 2x Cortex-A520 (2.3GHz) |
| GPU | Imagination Technologies DXT-48-1536 GPU, No Ray Tracing | Adreno 750 GPU |
| Storage and Memory | Zoned UFS 4.0 (512GB and above) and LPDDR5X | UFS 4.0, LPDDR5X memory, up to 4800MHz |
| NPU | New Google Edge TPU | Hexagon NPU, Run AI models up to 10B parameters |
| ISP | New ISP, Shoot 4K video at 60 FPS | Cognitive ISP, Triple 18-bit ISPs, Up to 200MP photo capture |
| Modem | Samsung Exynos 5400 5G modem, Sub-6GHz 5G band support (India) | Snapdragon X75 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 5.4, LE |
Verdict
To conclude, the Tensor G5 matches the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 in CPU performance, however, the latter has better stability and maintains peak performance for a bit longer. While we have not been able to gauge Tensor G5's GPU performance, it appears the new DXT-48-1536 GPU inside the Tensor G5 is far behind the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. All in all, Google's latest processor seems to be at least two generations behind the latest flagships.
