Unlike the Tensor G6 vs Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 comparison, this is a more fair test as both the Tensor G6 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 are below-flagship chipsets. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is essentially a dialled-down version of the 8 Elite Gen 5 while the Tensor G6 powers the entire Pixel 11 series. So, we are going to break down the CPU and GPU performance and understand the gap between Tensor G6 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.
Tensor G6 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: CPU
In the CPU department, Google has gone with a 7-core design on the Tensor G6 and finally brings Arm's newest C1-series cores. The powerful C1-Ultra core is running at 4.11GHz along with 4x C1-Pro operating at 3.38GHz and 2x C1-Pro cores running at 2.65GHz.
The Tensor G6 now shares its CPU cores with two proper flagships. The same Arm C1-series cores power MediaTek's Dimensity 9500 chip and Samsung's Exynos 2600 processor. For once, a Tensor chip is not a generation behind on CPU architecture.
On the other hand, Qualcomm has packed its custom, 3rd-gen Oryon cores on the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, the same as the 8 Elite Gen 5. There are eight Oryon v3 cores in a 2+6 layout, but with reduced clock speeds.
The 2x Oryon v3 Prime cores top out at 3.8GHz and the six Oryon v3 Performance cores are clocked at 3.32GHz. As you can notice, the peak frequency has been significantly reduced from 4.60GHz on the Elite version.
Even with the slower clock speeds, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is pretty fast. When we ran the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 benchmark on the OnePlus 15R, it scored 2,808 in Geekbench single-core and 9,198 in multi-core. That means it's just below the flagship chipsets.
Now, where does the Tensor G6 fit in? An early Tensor G6 Geekbench listing has surfaced showing 2,112 points in single-core and 5,196 points in multi-core. That said, it's an early listing and you should treat it cautiously for now.
In terms of architecture, the Arm C1 series cores are plenty powerful and easily rival Oryon v3 cores. In fact, the Dimensity 9500 runs the same core and scored 3,315 in single-core, which is about 18% higher than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5.
The only difference is that Google seems to have tuned the Tensor G6 conservatively. The C1-Ultra core is clocked a bit lower at 4.11GHz. I expect the Tensor G6 to fight closely against the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 in single-core, but the full 8-core Oryon setup may lead in multi-core tasks.
Related Articles
Tensor G6 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: GPU
The Tensor G6 packs an Imagination PowerVR CXTP-48-1536 GPU, which packs six compute units at 1.3GHz. It's a C-Series GPU from 2021, which makes it a bit older than the D-Series DXT-48-1536 GPU used in the Tensor G5.
GPU performance has long been the Pixel's weakest point and when we put the Tensor G5 benchmark through AnTuTu, its GPU could only score 382,578 points. Overall, the GPU inside the Tensor G6 is not very powerful.
Meanwhile, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 operates on another level entirely. It runs the powerhouse Adreno 840 GPU with the same sliced architecture as the flagship 8 Elite Gen 5. That said, Qualcomm has removed the Adreno High Performance Memory (HPM) cache and one GPU slice. Even with the reduced specs, the Adreno 840 achieved 951,094 points in AnTuTu's GPU test.
To put it simply, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is around 2.5x faster than the Tensor G5. Even if the Tensor G6 is an improvement over the G5, its PowerVR GPU can't come close to the Adreno 840 GPU.
Related Articles
Tensor G6 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Modem and AI
For the first time, Google has replaced Samsung's Exynos modem with MediaTek's 5G modem. The Tensor G6 comes with the M90 5G modem, which can go up to 12 Gbps in peak download speed. It also reduces the modem power consumption by up to 18%.
For buyers in India, it would be a big relief if the new modem fixes weak signal, heat and battery drain issues caused by the old Exynos modem. We have discussed the modem difference in our detailed Tensor G6 vs Tensor G5 comparison.
On this side, Qualcomm brings the Snapdragon X80 5G modem, which can deliver up to 10 Gbps in download speed. On paper, the M90's 12 Gbps peak download speed looks better, but Qualcomm's modems are proven and its real-world reception has always been better.
Coming to AI and NPU/TPU performance, both chips take it seriously but in different ways. The Tensor G6 packs a new Google TPU that brings 50% more compute and twice the memory bandwidth. Google also says on-device AI runs 3.5x faster than it did on the Tensor G5.
The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, on the other hand, comes with a new Hexagon NPU that is up to 46% faster than the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. It's a capable NPU, but Google is the one taking advantage of the TPU/NPU hardware much better than other phone makers.
Related Articles
Tensor G6 vs Snapdragon 8 Gen 5: Specs Comparison
| Specification | Tensor G6 | Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 |
|---|---|---|
| CPU | 7-core, Arm C1 (Armv9.3-A) | 8-core, 3rd-gen Qualcomm Oryon |
| CPU Cores | 1x C1-Ultra at 4.11GHz, 4x C1-Pro at 3.38GHz, 2x C1-Pro at 2.65GHz | 2x Oryon Prime at 3.8GHz, 6x Oryon Performance at 3.32GHz |
| GPU | Imagination PowerVR CXTP-48-1536, 6 CU at 1.3GHz | Adreno 840, sliced architecture, no HPM |
| NPU | New Google TPU, 50% more compute, 2x memory bandwidth | New Hexagon NPU, up to 46% faster than Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 |
| ISP | Upgraded Google ISP with Custom Video Portrait Engine | Qualcomm Spectra 20-bit Triple ISP |
| Security | Titan M3 security chip | Qualcomm secure processing unit |
| Storage and Memory | LPDDR5X, UFS 4.0 | LPDDR5X, UFS 4.1 |
| Modem | MediaTek M90 5G, up to 12Gbps peak download | Snapdragon X80 5G, up to 10Gbps peak download |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 | Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6.0 |
Related Articles
Verdict
To summarise, if you don't want to compromise on raw performance and gaming, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is simply the better chip. It has a clear lead in multi-core CPU performance and its Adreno 840 GPU is miles ahead of the Tensor G6's ageing PowerVR graphics.
That said, the Tensor G6 has improved significantly this year. The Arm C1-series cores have improved the CPU performance and the MediaTek modem should fix the overheating and battery drain issues once and for all. We will soon run the Tensor G6 through our benchmark tests so stay tuned for the actual scores.
Related Articles
-1120w630h.webp "Vivo X300 FE 8 GB RAM Variant Launched in India for Under Rs 85,000 thumbnail")
-356w.webp "Realme 16x 5G")
