Technology, Process and Cost
Google Tensor G3 SoC in Pixel 8 Pro
By Yole SystemPlus —
A full physical and cost analysis of Google’s newest smartphone SoC Tensor G3 in Pixel 8 Pro.
SPR24803
Overview
- Executive Summary
- Reverse Costing Methodology
- Glossary
Company Profile
- Company Profile
- Google Pixel Series
- Smartphone SoC Packaging technology
- Market Analysis
Physical Analysis
- Google Pixel 8 Pro Smartphone Dismantle
- Packaging Analysis
- DRAM Die
- SoC Die
- FEOL
- Floorplan
Physical Comparison
- SoC Package Comparison
- SoC Die Comparison
- Floorplan Comparison
Manufacturing Process
- Global View
- SoC Die Wafer Fabrication Unit
- SoC Die Front-End
- FO-PLP Packaging Process
Cost Analysis
- Summary
- Yields Explanation & Hypotheses
- Front-End Wafer Cost
- SoC Die Cost
- Packaging Cost
- Component Cost
Selling Price
- Definitions of Price
- Manufacturer Financials
- Estimated Selling Price
Feedbacks
Related Report
About Yole Group
The newest Google’s self-designed high-performance smartphone SoC
This full reverse costing study was conducted to provide insight regarding the technology data, manufacturing cost, and selling price of the Google Tensor G3 system-on-chip (SoC) in Pixel 8 Pro.
Google released the first smartphone SoC, Tensor G, with their Pixel 6 model in 2021. This was the beginning that Google became independent from Qualcomm for the smartphone processor and started to use self-designed chips for their own Pixel series. In 2023, the third generation, Tensor G3 was announced and published with Pixel 8 smartphone series. Continuing to partner with Samsung, Google moves to the 4 nm technology to manufacturer the SoC die while the previous two generations are fabricated by using 5 nm. With such advanced node, Google succeeds to realize a powerful on-device machine learning in this new generation by adding one more CPU core and bigger NPU areas. The high-performance CPU core is also upgraded from the ARM Cortex-X1 to the Cortex-X3. The SoC die is assembled by using Samsung FO-PLP technology. An external LPDDR5X DRAM is stacked on the top of the SoC die package with PoP (package-on-package) technology to fulfill an efficient communication and save the space at the same time.
In this report, a smartphone teardown of the Google Pixel 8 Pro is firstly demonstrated to show how Google Tensor G3 is integrated on the main board with other components. Then multiple analyses, ranging from FEOL, back-end 0 construction to SoC die assembly, are presented. Also, we conducted the detailed studies in planar view and cross-section by using optical microscopy, computed tomography 3D scanning (CT-scan) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Moreover, the Samsung 4 nm FinFET structure is revealed through high-resolution TEM analysis. A detailed floorplan study of SoC die is presented to understand the intellectual properties (IP) design in the processor. Besides, we furnish the physical analysis with a comparison of the SoC package, die and floorplan between Tensor G2 and Tensor G3. Lastly, this report gives a complete cost structure and a selling price estimation.
Google, Samsung, Micron
What's new?
Analysis on the most recent Google self-designed smartphone SoC
Report objectives
- Provide technology data, manufacturing cost and selling price.
- Teardown details on Pixel 8 Pro smartphone to reveal the components supporting the SoC on the main board of the phone
- Physical analysis of packaging and processor die with X-ray, EDX, optical microscope and scanning electron scope.
- Samsung 4 nm FEOL analysis with transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
- Process flow analysis on Samsung FO-PLP technology
- Clear view on the technology and supply chain.
- SoC package size, die size, die delayering to reveal the manufacturing
- SoC floorplan to reveal the IP architecture.
- Smartphone SoC manufacturing, its supply chain and cost structures.