Google reportedly completes design process for its Tensor G5 chipset

Google Pixel 10 isn’t expected to debut until 2025, but the development process appears to have already begun. According to a report, the chipset – the alleged Tensor G5 – has reached the “tape out” phase, meaning it has completed its design process and can be shipped out for manufacturing. This development builds on previous speculation that the Tensor G5 will be fully customized by Google, rather than being based on a Samsung Exynos SoC.

Google completes chipset design process on Pixel 10 series

According to a report According to Taiwan’s Commercial Times, the design process of the Tensor G5 chipset has now been completed and is ready to be manufactured. This phase, known as “tape out,” is considered crucial as it now allows the company to produce the chipset in a foundry and thoroughly test it.

The publication reports that the California-based tech giant has reached an agreement with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) – the foundry that is expected to be responsible for the manufacturing. With the design process complete, the chip can now be produced, giving Google nearly a year to test its performance and efficiency – or make improvements if necessary.

The Tensor G5 is said to be fully developed by Google, unlike the previous four generations, which were based on an Exynos chip from Samsung. This exclusivity could not only allow the company to add features specific to the Pixel 10 series, but also improve on shortcomings of previous generations, particularly when it comes to battery optimization and thermal management — two of the issues that have plagued Google’s smartphones of late.

The next-generation Tensor G5 chip is expected to be built using TSMC’s second-generation 3nm (N3E) node, which further simplifies the original N3B process. A smaller chip size typically has smaller components, which reportedly offers better power efficiency. Additionally, this small size allows the manufacturer to integrate more transistors, increasing the performance capabilities for computing tasks.

The chip is expected to debut with the Google Pixel 10 series next year. On the other hand, the Pixel 9 series, scheduled to launch on August 13 during the Made by Google event, is speculated to get the Tensor G4 chipset under the hood, which will still be based on a Samsung processor.