Zhidongxi (public account: zhidxcom)
compilation | Zhenyi
editor | Yunpeng
Zhidongxi News on August 16, according to foreign media reports, TSMC will trial produce 4nm chips in the third quarter of this year and in the second half of next year Mass production of 3nm chips.
Apple 's current A14 and M1 chips are built based on TSMC's 5nm technology, but the news shows that Apple and its partner TSMC may be trying to advance the chip process to 3nm.
Apple A14
According to usual practice, TSMC’s 3nm process will most likely be adopted by Apple, and the 2022 iPhones and Macs may be equipped with 3nm chips. The performance of Apple devices equipped with TSMC's 3nm chips may be significantly improved.
1. Rumors of 4nm are still spreading, and 3nm is ready for mass production.
In June this year, the media broke the news that since the announcement at the 2020 TSMC Technology Forum, TSMC’s 4nm development has been progressing quite smoothly and may start in the third quarter of 2021. Trial production, and 3nm may start mass production in the second half of 2022.
There has been controversy in the media industry about which Apple device 3nm chips will be used first. Nikkei Asia said in a latest report that the chip will debut in the iPad Pro model in 2022, while the iPhone of the same year will be equipped with an A-series processor manufactured using the 4nm process.
iPhone 14 Pro concept map (picture from the Internet)
Some other media believe that iPhone 14 will switch from the current 5nm chip to a 4nm chip. If the iPhone 13 can be successfully equipped with a 4nm chip this time, the iPhone 14 should also switch to the latest chip manufacturing process.
Currently, there are few rumors about the M1 processor using 3nm technology, but a report in December last year stated that Apple has "bagged" all TSMC's 3nm production capacity in 2022 to mass-produce Apple's A and M series chip.
2. Is 3nm expected to “cool down” Apple mobile phones?
In June this year, foreign media quoted news that TSMC was preparing to conduct a risk assessment of 3nm technology in 2021 and then mass produce it in 2022. This news release shows that TSMC is advancing 3nm technology faster than outside expectations.
When new silicon chips are officially launched, Apple's devices will be expected to increase processor speed and reduce energy consumption. TSMC said its 3nm chips have improved CPU performance by 10% to 15% and efficiency by 20% to 25% compared with current 5nm chips. This may help Apple reduce heat generation and improve the current situation of being complained about "hot hands".
Conclusion: What breakthroughs will there be in enhanced 5nm?
Apple devices in 2022 may be equipped with TSMC 3nm chips, which may improve the performance of the iPhone 14, at least no longer so "hot".
This year’s iPhone 13 is likely to be released in September, and most media predict that it will most likely be equipped with TSMC’s enhanced 5nm node silicon chip. What major breakthroughs will it make compared with iPhone 12, and what mobile phone revolutions will it bring? In other words, are you still stingy about squeezing out toothpaste? I'm afraid these issues will have to wait until the day of the press conference to be revealed.
Source: Digitimes
