Google Tensor G3 parameter details leaked: Support AV1 encoding and UFS 4.0 storage
The Tensor G3, Google’s forthcoming custom System on Chip (SoC), is poised for inclusion in the flagship products Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro set to launch this year. Emanating from diverse channels in recent months, it appears Google has no intention of pitting the Tensor G3 against Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 or MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300, opting instead for a chip tailored to their specific software requirements.
As reported by Android Authority, the Google Tensor G3 SoC is set to be the inaugural smartphone SoC supporting AV1 encoding. Its Multi-Function Codec (MFC) now facilitates 8K@30fps video decoding and encoding. However, due to considerations around heat dissipation and storage consumption, Google may not necessarily endow the Pixel 8 series with support for maximum resolution and frame rate during video production. Moreover, the Tensor G3 incorporates a new Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) dubbed ‘Rio’, clocked at 1.1 GHz, and is compatible with next-generation UFS 4.0 storage to boost read-write speeds.
Fresh off the press, the Tensor G3’s CPU utilizes a tri-cluster 1+4+4 configuration with a total of nine cores. The dominant core continues to utilize the Cortex-X3 core, clocked at 3.0 GHz, complemented by four Cortex-A715 performance cores at 2.45 GHz, and rounded off with four Cortex-A510 efficiency cores. Compared to previous rumors, the frequencies seem slightly lower. The manufacturing process of the Tensor G3 is yet to be clarified, although abundant information points towards Samsung’s 4LPP process.
The GPU component of the Tensor G3 might be the Arm Mali-G715 with ten cores, clocked at 890MHz, and featuring support for ray tracing technology. This diverges from earlier rumors, suggesting the use of the Xclipse 930 co-developed by Samsung and AMD. It seems the Tensor G3 is unlikely to upgrade its 5G modem, and other areas appear largely unchanged, essentially continuing the design of the Tensor G2, with minor differences unlikely to make a significant impact.
