Google Tensor G5 and G6 leaks point to redesigned core configurations and a new GPU

Rumor mill:

Rumor mill: A couple of new leaks have provided insight into the chips expected to power Google’s upcoming Pixel 10 and Pixel 11 smartphones. The Pixel 10 is likely to feature the Tensor G5 SoC, while the Pixel 11 is expected to come equipped with the Tensor G6.

According to Android Authority, the Tensor G5 – codenamed “Laguna” – will feature the Arm Cortex-X4 CPU architecture, similar to the Pixel 9’s Tensor G4 but with a different core configuration. While the G4 has a 1+3+4 setup comprised of one prime core, three performance cores, and four efficiency cores, the G5 is expected to adopt a 1+5+2 layout with one Cortex-X4 prime core, five Cortex-A725 performance cores, and two Cortex-A520 efficiency cores.

As for the GPU, the Tensor G5 is rumored to incorporate one from Imagination Technologies, which previously supplied graphics chips for iPhones before Apple shifted to designing its own GPUs. If this leak is accurate, it would mark a significant departure from the Tensor G4, which uses the Mali-G715 GPU, also seen in the Tensor G3. Notably, in the G4, the Mali-G715 is clocked slightly higher, at 940 MHz.

The report also claims that the Tensor G5 will be manufactured using TSMC’s 3 nm-class N3E process node, the same process used for Apple’s A18 Pro and M4 processors. The A18 Pro powers the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, while the M4 is found in the latest iPad Pro, which launched earlier this year. The M4 is also expected to power upcoming devices like the next-gen 14-inch MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and iMac.

Furthermore, the Pixel 11’s Tensor G6 (codenamed “Malibu”) is expected to be built on TSMC’s upgraded 3nm process node, N3P. This node is also rumored to be used for Apple’s upcoming A19 chip, potentially bringing significant performance and efficiency improvements to the G6 over the G5.

In addition, Notebookcheck reports that the Tensor G6 will feature a 1+6+1 core configuration, comprising one Arm Cortex-X930 prime core, six Cortex-A730 performance cores, and one Cortex-A520 efficiency core. The report also notes that the Tensor G5 may have a peak clock speed of 3.1GHz, while the G6 could reach 3.2G Hz. Both chips are also expected to support LPDDR5X-8533 memory, which is significantly faster than the Tensor G4’s LPDDR5X-4200 modules.