On the 3nm process node, Samsung preempted TSMC to complete mass production at the end of June, realizing its long-cherished wish to surpass TSMC. However, the main problem of Samsung’s 3nm is that there are no customers. In this regard, TSMC’s 3nm is more dominant, Apple, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA Waiting for the company to use TSMC for foundry next.
However, the fact that TSMC has grabbed major customers does not mean that there are no worries. Originally, Intel was also one of the two major customers of TSMC’s 3nm launch. However, it was reported not long ago that Intel canceled the order, and the GPU module on the 14th generation Core uses a 5nm process. , did not use TSMC’s 3nm process.
Now the only customer of TSMC’s 3nm processapplealso shaken,Sources from the industry chain@cell phoneChip experts broke the news that TSMC’s N3 process has been abandoned internally because customers don’t use it, and Apple has also abandoned it.
However, the abandonment of N3 process does not mean that TSMC’s 3nm process is over. In fact, N3 is only the first generation of 3nm process. Compared with N5 process, power consumption can be reduced by regarding 25-30%, performance can be improved by 10-15%, and transistor density can be improved by 10-15%. An increase of regarding 70%.
However, the N3 process has a narrow application range and is only suitable for the manufacture of specific products, and is aimed at early customers who have strong investment capabilities and pursue new processes.
To put it simply, the first-generation N3 process performance and density are very good, but it is too expensive.It is only suitable for local tyrants who are willing to burn money, such as Apple and Intel. As a result, these two are no longer used.
After the original N3 process was abandoned, Apple, Intel,AMDOther companies mainly use the second-generation N3E process, which improves performance, reduces power consumption, and expands application scope on the basis of N3. Compared with N5, the power consumption is reduced by 34% under the same performance and density, and the performance is improved under the same power consumption and density. 18%, or a 60% increase in transistor density.
Compared with the N3 process, the transistor density of N3E is reduced.But this also means that its cost is lower, and it will be the main force for TSMC to produce 3nm.
