Google Pixel 9a with Tensor G4 chip under the hood has now been leaked, suggesting the A-series device will pack the same chip as the regular Pixel 9 series but with slight differences, including a downgraded modem. Here’s everything you need to know about the Pixel 9a’s latest leak.
According to an Android Authority report, which cites a source inside Google, the Google Pixel 9a—codenamed “tegu”—is coming with the Google Tensor G4 Processor that’s also used in the Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, and the 9 Pro Fold. However, the chip isn’t entirely the same as the Pixel 9 series, and the changes, as per the leak, are for the worse.
The outlet reports that the Pixel 9a features a modified version of the G4 chip compared to the Pixel 9 series. While the silicon dye within both chips is identical, the packaging is not. The standard G4 uses Fan-Out Panel Level Packaging (FOPLP) by Samsung, whereas the Pixel 9a’s version employs Integrated Package on Package (IPoP). Samsung notes that IPoP is thicker and generates more heat than FOPLP, but it is also less expensive, likely driving its use in the 9a.
Another major downgrade Pixel 9a’s Tensor G4 will sport over Pixel 9’s G4 is the modem. The Exynos Modem 5400 in Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 has features such as Satellite SOS and support for 5G 3GPP Rel. 17, along with better efficiency and overall performance than last year’s modem used in Pixel 8 series, which we also noted during our review of the Pixel 9. In contrast, Pixel 9a retains the same Modem 5300 used in the entire Pixel 8 series and users with Pixel 8 devices weren’t particularly happy with the network performance of the devices.
While a downgrade, it should help Google keep the price of the Pixel 9a in check. It would also help the brand maintain a notable difference between the Pixel 9a and the Pixel 9 so one doesn’t cannibalise the other. There’s a possibility that Google could introduce the Pixel 9a at a lower price than Pixel 8a.
A recent leak for the Pixel 9a suggests it will have a completely different design than last year’s 8a or even the Pixel 9 series. The cameras on the back could sit flush with the back panel in a pill-shaped module, with Google removing the camera bar for the first time since Pixel 6 series.
