Google may not have exactly been transparent about whom it has chosen to partner up with to mass-produce its custom Tensor chipset that it intends to integrate into the upcoming Google Pixel 6 Series. Sources close to the subject matter claim that Samsung will be the one to undertake the orders, unlike the rumoured Exynos 2200 and the Snapdragon 898, which are said to be mass-produced using the advanced 4nm node, Samsung will use its 5nm technology.
Previous reports had claimed that TSMC could handle some of the Tensor orders for Google, but the latest update from Nikkei contradicts this claim. Samsung is set to solely mass-produce the custom silicon, back in 2020, certain reports indicated that Google and Samsung had collaborated in which they were testing out an 8-core ARM chip for future smartphones and Chromebooks.
Samsung’s 5nm process is the same one that is used to mass-produce the Snapdragon 888 and the Exynos 2100. This will make the Tensor more power-efficient than the 7nm Snapdragon 765G used in the Pixel 5, though it will be inferior in comparison to the upcoming Exynos 2200 and the Snapdragon 898.
In terms of raw performance, an earlier rumor stated that the Tensor Chip will be slower than the Snapdragon 888, which is disappointing to hear at the least.
Maybe Google did not intend to beat other chipsets with the Tensor but just wanted to design a custom chipset for its devices so that they operate to the best of their capabilities. It unveiled some improvements arriving for the Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6 Pro, this would include some improvements in computational photography, videography, enhancements to speech recognition, security, and more.
An additional advantage is that since Google is using a custom SoC, so it can commit to more annual software updates, this was also indicated by a previous specs leak.
This partnership with Samsung can also mean Google’s successor to the Tensor may pack an AMD GPU, as previous info detailed that the GPU running in the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro would be the same as the one the Exynos 2100 variant of the Galaxy S21 packs, which is a Mali-G78.
We will have to wait for google to officially publish more information regarding its Tensor chipset, we will keep you updated as and when more news emerge!
Source: Nikkei
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