Google recently responded to the performance concerns about the Tensor G4 of the Pixel 9 line. The company said that the SoC wasn't designed to beat benchmarks. Instead, the team focused on making it perform well in the areas where Google wants the chip to perform well, which is mostly AI features.

However, the Tensor G4 is still said to be a better performer than the Tensor G3, but it seems that not all the games are optimized for the Pixel 9 SoC. Dame Tech has tested the chipset by running Genshin Impact, one of the most demanding games available on mobile.

Dame Tech notes that the Tensor G4 runs reasonably cooler than the two-year-old Tensor G2, but it couldn't beat the Pixel 7 Pro (256 GB curr. $479 on Amazon). To be specific, while the average FPS was 39.2 on Pixel 9 Pro XL, the two-generation old phone could run Genshin Impact with an average FPS of 45.3.

Regarding temperatures, the newer smartphone peaked at 37 degrees Celsius, and the Pixel 7 Pro at 42 degrees Celsius. Given the temperature difference, it doesn't seem like the Tensor G4 inside the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL is throttling. Instead, the lower average FPS could simply be due to poor optimizations.

As for how the other flagships compare, the ROG 8 Pro has averaged 61.1 FPS, the iPhone 15 Pro Max at 59.2 FPS, and the Galaxy S24 Ultra at 51.4 FPS. Worth noting that the benchmark was run by putting the visual settingsto the highest possible option. More details can be found in the video and comparison chart attached below.