Exclusive: Latest Pixel 4 spec sheets reveal ‘Pixel Neural Core,’ no buds in the box

For the past two months, the hardware of the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL has felt “known,” with leakers even posting the full spec sheet to YouTube. Today, we’ve exclusively obtained the official spec sheet for the Google Pixel 4, which includes a previously unknown detail, the “Pixel Neural Core.”

As far as specs go, we’ve heard in rumors, leaks, and benchmarks that the Google Pixel 4 is right in line with many other flagship Android smartphones released in 2019. Snapdragon 855 processor, 6GB of RAM, 90Hz display, the works.

We now have the official spec sheet for the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, which confirms all of those details and sheds some light on Google’s camera marketing. Under the processor section, both the Google Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL are labeled as having “Pixel Neural Core.”

Last year, the Pixel 3 bounded ahead of the competition in the smartphone camera field, including the iPhone, with help from a dedicated image processing chip called the “Pixel Visual Core.” For 2019, it seems that Google is replacing the Visual Core with a Pixel Neural Core. The new name emphasizes that the chip uses neural network techniques to process images.

The rest of the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL’s official spec sheet says exactly what we’ve expected from the various leaks over the past few months.

Google Pixel 4 Specs

• Display: 5.7″ Full HD+ Smooth Display (up to 90Hz OLED) – Ambient EQ
• Battery: 2800 mAh
• Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 855 – Pixel Neural Core™
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Storage: 64 GB or 128 GB
• Cameras: 12 MP Dual-Pixel & 16 MP Telephoto
• Audio: Stereo speakers
• Security: Titan M Security Module
• Features: Face unlock, Motion Sense
• OS: Android OS with 3 years of security and OS updates

Google Pixel 4 XL Specs

• Display – 6.3″ Quad HD+ Smooth Display (up to 90Hz OLED) – Ambient EQ
• Battery: 3700 mAh
• Processor: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 855 – Pixel Neural Core™
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Storage: 64 GB or 128 GB
• Cameras: 12 MP Dual-Pixel & 16 MP Telephoto
• Audio: Stereo speakers
• Security: Titan M Security Module
• Features: Face unlock, Motion Sense
• OS: Android OS with 3 years of security and OS updates

With the spec sheet, we were also given the exact details of what will be included in the box with each Pixel 4 in the United States. Specifically, you’ll find the phone, a 1m USB-C to USB-C cable, an 18W USB-C power adapter, a Quick Switch Adapter (female USB-A to male USB-C), a SIM tool, and a Quick Start guide.

That means the Pixel 4 will not ship with a USB-C headphone adapter or the USB-C earbuds that last year’s Pixel 3 came with, at least not in the US. In some countries, phone OEMs are required by law to include headphones, and those countries will likely receive the USB-C buds. On a related note, our Stephen Hall was tipped yesterday to the existence of second-generation Pixel Buds.

To see what the new “Pixel Neural Core” is capable of, head over to our exclusive look at official camera samples from the Google Pixel 4. Or if you want to see how the Pixel 4 makes use of its high-end specs, check out our demos of “Pokemon Wave” and the “new Google Assistant.”

Dylan Roussel contributed to this article