Since their inception, the Google Tensor chipsets have been based on Exynos chips and developed by Samsung. That is expected will change with next year’s Tensor G5, as Google is expected to make the move to TSMC’s process node. Android Authority has shared an extensive report straight from Google’s gChips division detailing what’s coming from the Tensor G5 and G6 SoCs.
Tensor G5 (codename “laguna”) will power the upcoming Pixel 10 series and will be manufactured using TSMC’s 3nm-class N3E process. That’s the same node used for Apple’s A18 Pro chip in the iPhone 16 Pro series and perhaps the leading process node at the moment.
Tensor G5 will feature an updated CPU cluster consisting of 1x Arm Cortex-X4 prime core, 5x Cortex-A725 performance cores and 2x Arm Cortex-A520 efficiency units. Additionally, the GPU also gets an upgrade to a dual-core Imagination Technologies (IMG) DXT-48-1536 unit, clocked at 1.1 GHz.
The new GPU unit in the Tensor G5 supports ray tracing – a first for Tensor chipsets and offers GPU virtualization for accelerated graphics in virtual machines. Google is also expected to offer a 14% improvement in AI tasks thanks to a new NPU.
Tensor G6 (codename “malibu”) is expected to be produced on TSMC’s upcoming N3P node. While still a 3nm process, it will deliver significant gains in performance, energy efficiency and size. Based on a leaked document, N3P will offer a 5% frequency jump compared to N3E, while also being able to consume 7% less power and take up 4% less area.