Google is expected to add the Pixel 9a to its smartphone roster later this month. However, the company has done a sub-par job controlling the leaks surrounding its upcoming mid-ranger. As the device has not just been taken through its paces in various benchmarks, a fully-fledged review has been uploaded to inform potential buyers beforehand whether they should make the Pixel 9a their daily driver. Upon investigating the handset’s performance, we noticed it obtains a lower multi-core score than Google’s base Pixel 9 despite shipping with the same Tensor G4. This disclosure may reveal that the technology giant could be using an inferior SoC variant, which would not be unusual.
A less capable Tensor G4 was reportedly being mass produced for the Pixel 9a to lower production costs
With the higher-end Pixel 9 family, the Tensor G4 found in each flagship was said to feature Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging (FOPLP), which is more expensive for Google but delivers a truckload of benefits, such as a thinner die size to reduce increased temperatures. With the Pixel 9a in the hands of YouTuber Sahil Karoul, we get a closer picture of the mid-ranger’s capabilities by comparing some benchmark scores. On this occasion, we decided to gauge some Geekbench 6 numbers, with the Tensor G4 running the less expensive smartphone, obtaining a single-core and multi-core score of 1,530 and 3,344, respectively.
When compared with the base Pixel 9, the single-threaded results are nearly identical, but there is a notable difference in the multi-threaded figures, as the more premium handset secures a score of 3,821. This performance variation could result from Google using Samsung’s IPoP, or Integrated Package on Package, for the Pixel 9a’s Tensor G4. The difference is that the SoC running in the mid-ranger will run hotter, leading to slower multi-core performance. With the exception of the base Pixel 9, every other version was kitted out with a vapor chamber, leading to better thermals.
We suspect that the Pixel 9a will lack this elaborate cooling due to cost savings once again, but this could be the last time that Google ever uses a Samsung-made chipset in its smartphones as it has been reported to shift to TSMC’s technology with the Tensor G5 for its upcoming Pixel 10 family. Assuming a Pixel 10a ever materializes, we could witness improved thermals and, by extension, better performance than the Pixel 9a. If you wish to check out the entire review, the link has been given above. Have a look at the video and let us know your thoughts in the comments.
News Source: Sahil Karoul
