Key Takeaways
1. The Tensor G4 chip in the Pixel 9 Pro XL is slower than competitors like Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and Apple A18 Pro, and it tends to throttle under heavy usage.
2. A new update for Pixel devices promises speed improvements in synthetic benchmarks, but practical performance varies across different tasks.
3. Gaming performance remains unchanged after the update, with the Pixel 9 Pro XL struggling compared to rivals like Xiaomi 15 Ultra.
4. Video editing in Google Photos shows significant improvement, with the Pixel 9 Pro XL completing tasks faster, while other video editing apps show no gains or declines.
5. Overall, the update leads to mixed results, with some performance gains and reduced throttling, indicating a focus on consistent performance rather than peak power.
We observed in our analysis of the Pixel 9 Pro XL that the Tensor G4, the chip that powers the Pixel 9 series, is not as fast as its rivals. It struggles to keep up with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and the Apple A18 Pro. To make things worse, the smartphone tends to throttle when under heavy usage, which lowers its performance even more.
New Update Promises Speed Boost
Google has released a fresh update for the Pixel devices that seems to enhance the phone’s speed. This update is said to improve performance in synthetic benchmarks, such as Geekbench. But what about practical situations, like when editing photos?
Respected smartphone reviewer Juan Bagnell has evaluated both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and the Pixel 7 Pro across various tests to gauge the update’s impact. Unfortunately, the overall effect of the update is quite mixed.
Gaming Performance Stays the Same
Beginning with Wilderless, a graphically demanding mobile game, the graphics performance appears unchanged. The Pixel smartphone runs the game at around 40 FPS with all settings maxed out. In contrast, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra reportedly runs Wilderless “at more than double the resolution” with a more stable frame rate. This shows a notable performance gap between the Tensor G4 and the Snapdragon 8 Elite.
When it comes to video editing applications, the Pixel 9 Pro XL shows no improvement in LumaFusion, both before and after the update. The device takes roughly 32 seconds to render a one-minute UHD video. Interestingly, the updated Pixel 7 Pro actually shows a decline in this test, lagging 7% behind the previous version.
Video Editing in Google Photos Improves
On a brighter note, both the Pixel 9 Pro XL and Pixel 7 Pro see considerable enhancements in video editing performance within Google Photos after the latest update. The Pixel 9 Pro XL takes 34 seconds to trim a 3-minute video down to 2 minutes, marking an 11% improvement. The Pixel 7 Pro completes the same task in 38 seconds.
In the audio mixing assessment, the performance of both Pixel devices remains almost the same. This contrasts with file compression tests, where the update makes the Pixel 9 Pro XL about 11% quicker than its previous version. However, the standout result comes from the Pixel 7 Pro.
In the RARLAB file compression test, the older Pixel 7 Pro performs almost equally to the updated Pixel 9 Pro XL. After the update, the Pixel 7 Pro’s performance improved significantly, becoming 17% faster than even the updated Pixel 9 Pro XL. The lack of noticeable performance gain for the Tensor G4 compared to the Tensor G2 of the Pixel 7 Pro is also evident in a “Synthetic Compression” test, where both chips performed similarly.
Mixed Results from the Update
Looking closely at the findings, it’s evident that performance improvements are not consistent across the board. While some apps do experience speed gains, real-world tasks like video editing yield uncertain outcomes. Nonetheless, this Pixel update may help reduce throttling, leading to more stable performance and, in theory, better battery life.
In a batch photo test done by Juan Bagnell using PhotoMate R3, the Pixel 9 Pro XL only throttled by 7% after the update, compared to a significant 19% before. The Pixel 7 Pro also showed a similar pattern, throttling only 3% with the update, down from 9%.
In summary, it appears that Google has opted for a consistent performance strategy over peak power, aiming to enhance efficiency and limit throttling.
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