3nm Tensor G5 Tape-Out: Google Prepares for Mass Production with TSMC
The Tensor G4 will probably be the last SoC Google commissions from Samsung for mass production. Next year, Google plans to change its strategy for the Tensor G5, which will be used in the Pixel 10 series, by switching to TSMC for manufacturing. Previously leaked database information indicates that samples of the Tensor G5 produced by TSMC have already been sent out for verification.
According to Wccftech, the Tensor G5 has entered the tape-out stage and is expected to be mass-produced next year using TSMC’s 3nm process. This signifies that the new SoC has reached the final stages of the design process, leaving Google with the task of specifying the required shipment volume for the coming year to TSMC, which will handle the subsequent production phases.
The exact specifications of the Tensor G5 remain unclear. Rumors suggest that Google has developed custom CPUs and GPUs to narrow the performance and efficiency gap with its competitors, aiming to deliver a highly anticipated flagship product. Google hopes that the new SoC will no longer suffer from yield rate issues, making the Tensor G5 the first chip specifically designed for the Pixel product line in collaboration with TSMC.
Recently, Qualcomm and MediaTek also plan to follow Apple’s lead by opting for TSMC’s 3nm process. This means that the forthcoming next-generation flagship smartphones, regardless of the SoC design company, will largely be on an equal footing in semiconductor technology, allowing for better performance comparisons. Compared to Apple, Qualcomm, and MediaTek, Google’s SoC architecture may not have the upper hand, but leveraging the same manufacturing process could help close the performance gap.
Samsung continues to struggle with yield rates, with reports indicating that the second-generation 3nm process (SF3) used in the Exynos 2500 has a yield rate “below expectations,” currently at only 20%. If this situation does not improve in the coming months, Samsung may be forced to abandon this SoC in the Galaxy S25 series next year, opting instead for an all-Qualcomm platform.
