Google’s Tensor SoCs have so far been manufactured by Samsung’s foundry, and they were never seen as the top performers or even the most efficient flagship chipsets. But according to sources close to Digitimes, the upcoming Tensor G5 chip will likely come out of TSMC’s facility. This is yet another confirmation of a rumor we heard back in 2024.
The Pixel 10 series launch is set for this fall and according to the latest reports, Google struck a deal with TSMC, so the Taiwanese chipmaker will manufacture the next few generations of Tensor silicon. The report claims that the contract is between three to five years, meaning TSMC will likely produce even the Pixel 14 series’ Tensor.
That might be good news for Pixels in general, as TSMC has proved to be a more reliable chip manufacturer than Samsung. TSMC-made SoCs tend to be more powerful and efficient than their Samsung counterparts, even if the chip design stays the same. Remember how the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 Plus was more powerful and more efficient at the same time than the Samsung-made SD 8 Gen 1?
For anyone who’s following the news cycle surrounding Samsung’s chip manufacturing business, they likely aren’t surprised. After all, Samsung has had yield issues with the Exynos 2500 chip, so the company had to use Qualcomm chips for its entire Galaxy S25 lineup. As a result, this year’s Galaxy foldables will be the first to adopt the Exynos 2500.
The issues run so deep that Samsung is planning an internal restructuring as Samsung MX (Mobile Experience) division is getting ready to take over the chip manufacturing business from Samsung LSI.
Either way, we hope to see Google’s Tensor chips become more competitive and offer users a substantial performance and efficiency boost.