The Tensor G2 on the Pixel 7a may be a weaker version than Pixel 7

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Currently, Google Pixel 7a is dominating the budget smartphone market. It was launched at the Google I/O a month ago and offers similar hardware to its flagship counterpart, including the Tensor G2 chipset.

However, there has been a recent discovery suggesting that our assumption about the Pixel 7a chipset may be incorrect. It appears that Google might have used a slightly different version of Tensor G2 on the 7a.

Is it really a different Tensor G2 inside Pixel 7a?

While we initially believed that Google had used the same Tensor G2 chipset in both devices, popular tipster Kamila Wojciechowska has found evidence indicating otherwise.

According to Wojciechowska, both devices use identical Tensor G2 chipsets; however, Google employed a different packaging technique for the 7a’s chipset.

https://twitter.com/Za_Raczke/status/1670875409645203466

Packaging is an essential process in chip production where a protective cover is placed over the chipset to shield it from external elements. The package also facilitates connectivity between the chipset and other device components it needs to interact with.

In terms of packaging differences, Google reportedly utilized IPOP packaging for the Pixel 7a while employing FOPLP-PoP packaging for its Pixel 7 series.

Now, does this disparity in packaging hold any significance? Well, perhaps.

FOPLP-PoP packaging vs. IPOP

According to information available on Samsung’s website, IPOP packaging is theoretically thicker, larger, and generates more heat compared to FOPLP-PoP packaging. Samsung first used IPOP packaging on the Samsung Galaxy S9 in 2018.

However, it remains unclear whether this difference in packaging has any real-world consequences or implications.

After the release of the Pixel 7a, online benchmarks have shown that this budget device performs on par with flagship models in most cases.

However, the standard Pixel 7 slightly outperforms it in terms of graphical performance, possibly due to packaging differences. It’s important to note that these observations are purely theoretical.

Currently, all of this information remains speculative. Concrete evidence may emerge in the future.

That being said, Google Pixel 7a still stands as one of the most powerful Android mid-range smartphones and should be a top choice for budget-conscious customers.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

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