Google knows its Tensor chips have had some rough spots, especially when it comes to overheating and battery life, and it’s clear that they’re working on fixing that with the upcoming Tensor G6, code-named “Malibu.”
Leaked slides from Android Authority show that overheating is the top reason for returns of Tensor-based Pixels — apparently, 28% of user complaints are tied to how hot these phones can get. Google wants to cut down on that heat, and one way they’re tackling it is with a “Cinematic Rendering Engine” in the Tensor G6. This new engine will cut the power used during video recording with blur by around 40%, which should mean less heat.
Battery life is also a big focus. The slides reveal that fewer than 86% of Pixel 6 and 7 users were getting through a full day on one charge. Google hasn’t detailed exactly how the Pixel 11 with G6 will improve battery life, but it’s definitely high on the list.
To make all this work, Google is shrinking the G6’s size to around 105 mm² by using TSMC’s N3P process node — the same one Apple uses in its A18 Pro. To hit that smaller size, they’ve made some sacrifices, like removing one core from the DSP and cutting the system-level cache in half. They’re also reusing a three-core IMG CXT GPU that was originally intended for the older Tensor G4, which helps reduce the die area by about 12% but limits performance a bit.
On the CPU side, the Tensor G6 will likely have a single Cortex-X930 core and six Cortex-A730 cores, with some minor tweaks to speed up a couple of them. Google also decided to skip the smaller Cortex-A5xx cores to keep things simpler. However, the fewer cores mean the G6 probably won’t be a huge jump in speed over the G5.