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.
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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, but 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 Apple, the only customer of TSMC’s 3nm process, has also been shaken.A source from the industry chain @Mobile Chip Daren broke the news that TSMC’s N3 process has been abandoned internally because customers don’t need 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 about 25-30%, performance can be improved by 10-15%, and transistor density can be improved by 10-15%. An increase of about 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 first-generation N3 process was abandoned, Apple, Intel, AMD and other companies mainly used the second-generation N3E process, which improved performance, reduced power consumption, and expanded the scope of applications on the basis of N3. Comparing the power consumption of N5 with the same performance and density 34% reduction, 18% performance improvement at the same power consumption and density, 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.