Google Shifts to TSMC for Tensor Chips, Aiming to Boost Pixel Performance

Google doubles down on TSMC for future Pixel Tensor chips

Google Pixel phones hit with battery drain woes after May 2025 update Summary Google plans to switch from Samsung to TSMC's foundry for its Tensor chips, starting this year. The partnership with TSMC will continue for the next 3-5 years, until at least the Pixel 14. TSMC's superior process node will enable Tensor chips to run cooler and consume less power. Tensor chips have long been both the strength and weakness of Pixel devices, allowing Google to provide unrivaled AI features. However, their performance and thermal efficiency leave much to be desired, lagging a generation or two behind others. This is largely due to Google using Samsung's inferior foundry to fabricate its Tensor chips. Thankfully, the Pixel 10 will seemingly fix this by switching to TSMC's more advanced foundry. A new report claims this won't be a one-off move, with Google sticking to TSMC for the foreseeable future. Related The Google Pixel 10 makes its first appearance in the wild during an ad shoot It looks a lot like the Pixel 9 Posts 1 A DigiTimes report claims Google will continue its partnership with TSMC for at least 3-5 years, until at least the Pixel 14 in 2029. Given TSMC's superior fabrication node and technology, this should bode well for the thermal efficiency of the Tensor chips, ensuring they don't overheat or run hot (via @Jukanlosreve). The move will also put Google in the same league as Apple and Qualcomm, which rely on TSMC to fabricate their mobile chips. A cooler chip should also help with battery life, as evident from the Pixel 9 lineup. Fabricated on Samsung's cutting-edge 3nm node, the phone's Tensor G4 SoC runs significantly cooler and consumes less power than previous Tensors. The new Exynos 5400 modem also helps, as it is more power-efficient than Samsung's previous Exynos modem. Rumors indicate Google is fabricating the Pixel 10's Tensor G5 chip on TSMC's 3nm node, the same foundry technology used by Apple for the iPhone 16's A18 SoC. Superior process node won't automatically boost performance Close TSMC's cutting-edge process nodes are typically in high demand, with companies often signing a multi-year contract and booking capacity years in advance. Plus, chipmakers design mobile SoCs based on the process node they plan to use for fabrication, so it makes strategic sense for Google to lock in TSMC's foundries for upcoming Tensor chips over the next few years. A newer process node improves power efficiency and enables denser chip designs. For Google, this means it can achieve the same performance with lower power consumption or reduce chip size for potential cost savings. However, performance gains depend more on factors like higher clock speeds, updated CPU cores, and architectural optimizations -- not just the manufacturing process. So, even with TSMC's foundries, there's no guarantee future Tensor chips will match the performance of Qualcomm's flagship Snapdragon processors.

Google finally admits its Tensor chip truly needed TSMC's help

Google plans to switch from Samsung to TSMC's foundry for its Tensor chips, starting this year, and will continue the partnership for the next 3-5 years, until at least the Pixel 14. The partnership with TSMC will enable Tensor chips to run cooler and consume less power due to TSMC's superior process node. Tensor chips have allowed Google to provide unrivaled AI features, but their performance and thermal efficiency have lagged behind others due to Google using Samsung's inferior foundry. A DigiTimes report claims Google will continue its partnership with TSMC for at least 3-5 years, until at least the Pixel 14 in 2029. This should improve the thermal efficiency of the Tensor chips, ensuring they don't overheat or run hot. The move will also put Google in the same league as Apple and Qualcomm, which rely on TSMC to fabricate their mobile chips. A cooler chip should also help with battery life, as evident from the Pixel 9 lineup. The phone's Tensor G4 SoC, fabricated on Samsung's cutting-edge 3nm node, runs significantly cooler and consumes less power than previous Tensors. The new Exynos 5400 modem also helps, as it is more power-efficient than Samsung's previous Exynos modem. Rumors indicate Google is fabricating the Pixel 10's Tensor G5 chip on TSMC's 3nm node, the same foundry technology used by Apple for the iPhone 16's A18 SoC. TSMC's cutting-edge process nodes are typically in high demand, with companies often signing a multi-year contract and booking capacity years in advance. A newer process node improves power efficiency and enables denser chip designs. For Google, this means it can achieve the same performance with lower power consumption or reduce chip size for potential cost savings. However, performance gains depend on factors like higher clock speeds, updated CPU cores, and architectural optimizations, not just the manufacturing process.