Google Tensor 3 chip for the Pixel 8 to be built by Samsung
Google is set to debut the Pixel 7 series in the coming months but already has its sights set on its smartphones for 2023, the Pixel 8 series. According to a new report, the SoC expected to power the Pixel 8 lineup is already in the works.
This chipset, likely to be branded as the Tensor 3 or something in that vein, will sit beneath the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro. Considering Google's release schedule, it's expected to launch before the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, and should be a rival to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that's set to debut later this year. Unlike the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, however, the third-gen Tensor chip—or Tensor 3, if you would—looks to be built by Samsung.
As revealed by GalaxyClub, Samsung is working on a new chipset for Google with the model number "S5P9865". The first-gen Tensor on the Pixel 6 bears the designation "S5P9845", and the second-gen chip has been rumored to be "S5P9855". The third-gen Tensor being "S5P9865" sounds logical.
Considering the less-than-stellar reputation of Samsung's recent nodes, fans of the Google Pixel lineup are unlikely to be thrilled by this revelation, as TSMC appears to hold a heavy advantage in this department. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, for example, was built by Samsung but had to be refreshed mid-way through the year with the TSMC-built Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. That said, though, the Pixel 6's first-gen Tensor was built by Samsung as well and performs fine, although not impressively.
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