Tensor G5 specs reveal how Google is upgrading the Pixel 10 after switching to TSMC

Summary

• Google's Pixel 10 will feature the new Tensor G5 chip designed without Samsung's involvement.
• The Tensor G5 is Google’s first fully self-designed chip, shifting manufacturing to TSMC and blending in select external technologies.
• Google is blending its own TPU, DSP, and audio processor with components from Arm, Imagination Technologies, and others.

Google is making a bold move with the upcoming Pixel 10, and at the heart of it is the Tensor G5, a chip that ditches Samsung’s involvement entirely. For the first time, Google is designing its processor without Samsung’s help, instead teaming up with TSMC to handle manufacturing. A new report now reveals exactly what’s changing, highlighting the fresh set of components replacing Samsung’s hardware and giving us a glimpse into the upgraded engineering behind Tensor G5.

For the Tensor G5, Google is said to be blending its proprietary designs—including the TPU, DSP, memory compressor, and audio processor—with select external technologies, according to Android Authority. The brains and brawn of the chip, the CPU and GPU, are reportedly coming from Arm and Imagination Technologies, respectively.

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Meanwhile, the video codec ditches Google's custom "BigWave" and Samsung's MFC in favor of Chips&Media's off-the-shelf solution. The display controller is also switching from Samsung’s DPU to VeriSilicon’s DC9000, marking a notable shift in how visuals are handled on the Pixel 10. Perhaps the biggest change is the fully custom ISP, designed entirely by Google, replacing the Samsung-customized ISP found in the Tensor G4.

From the very beginning, Tensor chips have always combined Google’s own custom designs with pieces borrowed from Samsung. Google leaned on Samsung’s foundry and Exynos platform to get things off the ground.

Before Tensor arrived in 2021, Google dabbled in custom ISPs for Snapdragon-powered Pixels, starting with the Pixel Visual Core in the Pixel 2 and later the Pixel Neural Core in the Pixel 4.

Manufacturing with TSMC's advanced process

Breaking away from tradition, Google has partnered with TSMC to fabricate the Tensor G5. Using TSMC’s 3nm N3E process, the chip is set to bring better performance and efficiency to the table.

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The new parts in the Tensor G5 likely won’t shake up the Pixel 10’s performance too much. But with more control over the chip, Google could boost camera quality and make the system smoother with fewer bugs.

That said, the Tensor G5 is expected to take the Pixel 10 experience up a notch. With a heavy focus on next-gen AI smarts, top-tier camera performance, and efficiency, we can expect a more refined experience all around with future Pixel models.