Google’s in-house Tensor chips have steadily improved over the years to become a reliable daily driver with solid battery efficiency. Still, performance has often been a sticking point. While previous Tensor chips have handled everyday tasks well, they fell short when it came to gaming and other demanding workloads. The latest Tensor G5 could change that as it promises significant performance upgrades.
The tech giant says “Tensor G5 is our biggest upgrade yet and delivers a major performance boost.” The latest Tensor chip, debuted last month with the Pixel 10 series, is claimed to have 60% more powerful TPU and 30% faster average CPU. This is also Google’s first mobile chipset manufactured at TSMC’s factory (previous Tensor chips were made by Samsung). The Tensor G5 utilizes a more advanced 3nm process node, which promises improved performance and enhanced battery efficiency.
Google promises significant upgrades for Tensor G5, but will that bring a substantial boost to benchmark numbers where previous Tensor chips have not performed well? We’ll look at the benchmark figures. Before that, here’s the spec sheet to see the differences on paper:
| Tensor G5 | Tensor G4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | August 2025 | August 2024 |
| Process node | TSMC’s 3nm (N3E) | Samsung’s 4nm |
| CPU | 1x 3.78 GHz — Cortex-X4 5x 3.05 GHz — Cortex-A725 2x 2.25 GHz — Cortex-A520 | 1x 3.1 GHz — Cortex-X4 3x 2.6 GHz — Cortex-A720 4x 1.92 GHz — Cortex-A520 |
| GPU | PowerVR DXT-48-1536 GPU No ray tracing support | Mali-G715 MP7 GPU No Ray tacing support |
| NPU | New Google Edge TPU | Google Custom TPU |
| Memory Storage | LPDDR5X Zoned UFS 4.0 (512GB+) | LPDDR5X UFS 3.1 |
| Connectivity | Samsung Exynos 5400 5G modem Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6E Bluetooth 6.0 | Samsung Exynos 5400 5G modem Wi-Fi 7 Bluetooth 6.0 |
Google Tensor G5 vs Tensor G4: AnTuTu score
AnTuTu (version 10) benchmark shows a modest overall gain for the new Tensor G5 chip with a score of 1,429,557 compared to Tensor G4’s 1,348,226 — that’s a 6% gain. The CPU, however, shows a nice 20% increase (483,989 vs 401,746). The memory and UX scores also favor the newer chip with an increase of around 10%.
The most surprising of all is the GPU score, which is actually lower than last year’s G4 — the difference is about 10%. This suggests Google may have focused more on efficiency rather than pushing raw graphics performance.
| Tensor G5 | Tensor G4 | |
|---|---|---|
| AnTuTu score | 1,429,557 | 1,348,226 |
| CPU | 483,989 | 401,746 |
| GPU | 416,313 | 462,415 |
| Memory | 293,467 | 266,535 |
| UX | 235,788 | 217,530 |
Google Tensor G5 vs Tensor G4: Geekbench score
On Geekbench 6, the Tensor G5 shows clear improvements over the Tensor G4. In the single-core test, it scores 2,316, about 20% higher than the G4’s 1,923, meaning faster responsiveness in everyday tasks like app launches and UI navigation.
The multi-core score jumps to 6,452, a massive 40% gain over the G4’s 4,602, highlighting stronger performance in multitasking, productivity apps, and heavier workloads.
Overall, Geekbench results suggest promising improvements for Tensor G5 in raw CPU performance, especially in multi-core efficiency, which should translate into much smoother performance.
| Tensor G5 | Tensor G4 | |
| Single core | 2,316 | 1,923 |
| Multi core | 6,452 | 4,602 |
Google Tensor G5 vs Tensor G4: 3DMark score
The Tensor G5 shows a clear improvement over the Tensor G4 in the 3DMark Wild Life Extreme Stress Test, which measures sustained GPU performance under heavy load. The G5 achieves a best loop score of 3,319, compared to the G4’s 2,603, marking an impressive 27% uplift in peak graphics performance.
More importantly, the G5 also delivers better consistency. Its lowest loop score is 2,954, while the G4 drops to 2,071. That’s not only higher performance, but also much greater stability — 89% vs 79.6%. This means the Tensor G5 is far less prone to thermal throttling and should provide smoother, more reliable gaming performance over longer sessions.
| Tensor G5 | Tensor G4 | |
| Best loop score | 3,319 | 2,603 |
| Lowest loop score | 2,954 | 2,071 |
| Stability | 89% | 79.6% |
Tensor G5 vs Tensor G4: Verdict
The Tensor G5 shows promising upgrades to CPU performance, thanks to more advanced TSMC manufacturing and improved CPU cores. The 3DMark test shows that GPU performance and consistency have also improved noticeably. This should result in snappier everyday performance and a better gaming experience. The new chip also addresses most of the heating and throttling issues reported by users with previous Tensor chips.
While the newer Tensor chip brings notable upgrades, Google still has a lot to catch up to compete with the best from Qualcomm and MediaTek. We’ve compared the Tensor G5 with Snapdragon 8 Elite and Snapdragon 8 Gen 3. You can explore those comparisons to find out how Google’s latest chip stacks up against the industry best.
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