Since the launch of the first Pixel phone with a Tensor chip, Google has always got its chip fabricated by Samsung Foundry. However, that will change next year, as Google wants to switch to TSMC for more reliable quality and yield. Information about the Pixel 10 processor has now been revealed.
Pixel 10 processor, 3nm Tensor G5, will be made by TSMC
While the Pixel 9 series will use the Tensor G4 chip fabricated on Samsung Foundry's 4nm process node, the Pixel 10 series will feature the Tensor G5 processor made on TSMC's 3nm process. This information comes from the Chinese publication CTEE, which claims that Google's first 3nm chip, the Tensor G5, has already been taped out by TSMC.
This indicates that Google has finalized the design of the Tensor G5, and changes are not likely to happen in the future.
Apparently, the Tensor G5 is Google's first chip designed entirely in-house. Earlier chips were co-designed with Samsung's System LSI arm. With its completely in-house design and an advanced 3nm process from TSMC, the Tensor G5 is expected to bring massive performance and power efficiency improvements.
The story continues after our video below.
However, it is unclear if Google has chosen TSMC's N3E (second-generation 3nm) or N3P (third-generation 3nm) process node. Whichever process Google chooses will still be a considerable step up from Samsung Foundry's 4nm process (SF4), which is currently being used for the Pixel 9 series.
It is unfortunate to see big-name chip clients, including Google, Nvidia, and Qualcomm, slowly move away from Samsung Foundry to TSMC. If you don't know already, Taiwanese firm TSMC is the world's biggest contract chip manufacturer and is considerably ahead of Samsung Foundry, which ranks second in the list.
