Google Tensor G2: Everything we know about the Pixel 7's chip

The next Google Pixel SoC's speeds and feeds are unknown at this time

The Google Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are future smartphones about which we already know a lot, but their chipsets are still still a mystery. Whether it was a blessing or a curse, Google is sticking with its proprietary processors, and the Pixel 7 will introduce the GS201, a new version of Tensor. The little that we do know is also quite odd, just like last year.

According to Google's website, the Tensor G2's official moniker, leaks haven't occurred as frequently as they did for the first Tensor chipset up to this point. We already knew a lot about the first GS101 by April of 2021, but Google has managed to keep things tighter this year by restricting our knowledge and filling the spec table with lots of "unknown" labels.

Samsung will produce the Tensor G2 on its 4nm node using panel-level packaging. This is a technical way of explaining that to reduce waste, the chips will be cut from square wafers rather than rounds. The performance of the chip in actual devices won't be greatly affected by this, but it's clever and could cut prices, which could be helpful while there is still a chip shortage.

The Tensor G2 is almost certainly going to retain the 2+2+4 core cluster configuration that the original Tensor GS101 used, with two "super-big" cores, two more conventional big cores, and four small cores, according to recent research into the boot logs of a Pixel 7 Pro prototype and further confirmed by a Geekbench benchmark discovered by developer Kuba Wojciechowski on Twitter. The little cores in the G2 are still Cortex A55s, according to details in the logs and the Geekbench results. Even a workaround created especially for them is noted in the log. The tiny cores in question are identical to those found in the 2017-era GS101 Tensor chipset.

Now that it has been established, the first-generation Tensor and the G2 share the same other cores. The G2 appears to use the same ARM Cortex-X1s and A76s as were used in the previous generation Tensor's "super-large" and "big" cores, respectively.

The frequency is one of the things that does alter throughout generations. The X1 cluster's frequency has increased by 50MHz to 2.85GHz, while the A76 cluster is 100MHz faster at 2.35GHz. It appears that this led to a 10-15% better score in Geekbench, though it is unknown how well this artificial score would perform in practical applications.

However, it appears that Google is updating the GPU. Wojciechowski discovered that the Mali-G710 GPU is mentioned in the Geekbench results rather than the G78. It should deliver performance and efficiency gains of roughly 20%. The on-board TPU with a machine learning focus is expected to receive a 35% rise in processes that can be utilised. Upgrades are also being made to the TPU itself.

Unsurprisingly, information gleaned from previous teardowns and the Geekbench findings indicates that the G2 will once again be paired with a Samsung-made modem. The Exynos Modem S5300 is almost certainly the g5300b, a specific variant that was discovered this time.

On paper, this tiny design change could appear disappointing, but in terms of performance to power utilization, it may make perfect sense. It has been shown that using newer processors reduces energy usage at the expense of performance, therefore keeping with an older generation may actually allow for greater potential for improved efficiency. Additionally, the fact that Google has worked with this configuration for a full generation makes it easier to further optimize the system. This reminds me a little bit of how the business used the same camera for several versions of Pixel phones.

One rumor states that the chipset's mass production is anticipated to start in June 2022. This makes logical because Google needed to prepare enough Tensor G2s for the October 6, 2022, launch of the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.

Other features

The performance of smartphone chipsets can depend on more than just a count of cores. Improved machine learning applications were one of the main reasons Google decided to develop its own chipset with the first Tensor. As ambient computing becomes more prevalent, so-called heterogeneous compute, which involves distributing specialized workloads to various or customized hardware components as opposed to merely general-purpose CPUs, may have a greater effect on how users perceive a device's performance. Not just one or two significant benchmarks matter, but also how we really use our phones. That increasingly applies to workflows for things like speech recognition, translation, glitzy camera features, AR/VR, and other more intricate processes. And you need more than a few current ARM cores and a GPU for that.

Parts of Google's HDRNet image processing pipeline were included into the original Tensor's hardware, giving Google's workloads more specialized and direct performance than a general-purpose ISP can. Additionally, Google provided a separate security core (paired with a separate Titan M2 chip running "Trusty OS"). Even while information about G2 hasn't yet surfaced, you can probably expect that Google will keep making these kinds of customized adjustments. After all, a corporation would choose to develop a unique smartphone chipset for capabilities like these alone. Otherwise, Google would have just used a Qualcomm product, as it previously did.

The G2 will very probably contain additional optimizations and enhancements in Google's heterogeneous computation strategy, incorporating other new camera and machine learning technologies in hardware where they can be done more rapidly and effectively. Specifics haven't yet emerged. Only that it will provide "even more AI-heavy breakthroughs and helpful personalized experiences across speech, photography, video, and security" was all Google had to say about the new chipset at I/O. The Tensor G3 (if that's what it's called) may deviate from this base over time as Google's requirements evolve, despite the fact that the first GS101 Tensor was mainly based on Samsung's Exynos architecture.

It's also important to note how distinctive Google's 2+2+4 core arrangement is. Other chipset manufacturers haven't yet followed Google's lead and included more than one "super-big" core to their designs. Phil Carmack, VP and GM of Google Silicon, stated in an interview with Ron Amadeo of Ars Technica that this particular arrangement was chosen to boost efficiency at "medium" workloads by being able to swiftly complete tasks with more resources and return to a low-power state:

"You'll have the two X1s operating when it's a steady-state situation, where, say, the CPU load is lighter but it's still modestly significant, and at that performance level, that will be the most effective... Even if you operate the two X1s at a frequency that makes them extremely efficient, their burden is still quite high. With twin X1s, a workload that would have ordinarily required two dual A76 processors operating at full capacity is now barely tapping the gas."

Devices

The Pixel 7 series of smartphones, which also includes the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro, will feature the Tensor G2 from launch. The date of Google's upcoming hardware launch is October 6th. When that time comes, we'll finally get our first look at the exact kind of power Tensor G2 possesses. If history is any guide, it may also happen to a future Pixel a-series (probably the Pixel 7a in 2023). Although we anticipate it will use the first-generation GS101 chipset when it debuts in 2023, Google also wants to introduce a tablet that is Tensor-powered.

Ravenclaw, a portmanteau of "Raven" (Pixel 6) and "claw" for the big cat names of the Pixel 7 series (Cheeta and Panther), has also been linked to the G2, although based on the name alone, it may be a test device intended to incorporate Pixel 7 hardware inside a Pixel 6 body. For a Pixel 5 with internals from a Pixel 6, Google utilized a similar naming scheme.

Made by Google

The rate of Tensor G2 leaks will probably increase shortly as it is expected to start production in June 2022. Google also has a habit of grabbing the lead during leak season to drip-feed its own feature highlights. We're likely to learn more soon. In any case, the earliest we'll be able to get the Pixel 7 series is during the Made by Google event in October.