For four generations, Google's Tensor chips shared DNA with Samsung's Exynos platform. The Tensor G5 changes that. Code commits in the Android Open Source Project, combined with supply-chain reporting, reveal a chip that is fundamentally different — and potentially transformative for the Pixel lineup.

The TSMC shift

The most significant change is fabrication. Tensor G1 through G4 were manufactured by Samsung Foundry, and they showed it: higher power consumption and thermal throttling compared to Qualcomm chips fabbed by TSMC. The Tensor G5 moves to TSMC's N3E (3nm) process, immediately addressing the efficiency gap.

Early power measurements from leaked engineering samples show the G5 drawing 15-20% less power than the G4 at equivalent performance levels. For Pixel users, this translates directly to better battery life.

CPU architecture

The Tensor G5's CPU configuration, based on AOSP device tree analysis:

  • 1x Cortex-X5 prime core at 3.4GHz
  • 5x Cortex-A730 performance cores at 2.8GHz
  • 2x Cortex-A520 efficiency cores at 1.8GHz

This is a 1+5+2 layout, versus the G4's 1+3+4. The shift toward more performance cores and fewer efficiency cores suggests Google is prioritizing sustained multitasking performance over raw peak speed. Single-core performance should match the Galaxy S25 Ultra's Snapdragon 8 Elite, though multi-core may trail slightly.

The real story: TPU and AI

Google's Tensor chips have always been about AI, and the G5 doubles down. The on-device TPU (Tensor Processing Unit) gets major upgrades:

  • 4 TPU cores (doubled from 2 in G4)
  • INT8 throughput: 40 TOPS (up from 18 TOPS)
  • FP16 support for higher-precision AI inference

What does this enable?

  • Gemini Nano Pro: A larger on-device language model with better reasoning
  • Real-time video segmentation for enhanced computational photography
  • On-device speech recognition with 98%+ accuracy across 100 languages
  • Magic Editor improvements in Google Photos — faster processing, more complex edits

GPU: Immortalis-G925

The G5 integrates ARM's Immortalis-G925 GPU with 10 shader cores. This is a significant upgrade from the Mali-G715 in the G4, bringing hardware ray tracing support and approximately 40% better sustained GPU performance. For gaming, this puts the Pixel 10 in the same league as Snapdragon 8 Elite devices for the first time.

Modem and connectivity

Google is using a Samsung Exynos 5400 modem, the same component used in the Galaxy S25 series. This brings:

  • 5G Sub-6 and mmWave support
  • Satellite SOS messaging
  • Wi-Fi 7 with MLO (multi-link operation)
  • Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio

What this means for Pixel 10

The Tensor G5 addresses every meaningful criticism of previous Tensor chips: efficiency, GPU performance, and sustained thermal performance. If the benchmarks hold up in the final silicon, the Pixel 10 will be the first Pixel that does not compromise on performance to deliver AI features.

For current Pixel comparisons, see our Pixel 9 Pro vs Pixel 8 Pro comparison.