3 nm Chip from Mediatek and TSMC has arrived

Introduction

In a groundbreaking collaboration, MediaTek, a leading semiconductor company, and TSMC (Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company) have announced their successful development of a cutting-edge 3 nm chipset.

This chipset is set to power the next generation of smartphones, tablets, intelligent vehicles, and various other devices starting in the second half of 2024.

This technological leap promises significant improvements in performance, power efficiency, and overall user experience. In this blog post, we’ll explore the implications and potential of this exciting development.

The Power of TSMC’s 3nm Technology

TSMC’s 3 nm technology represents a significant advancement over its previous generation, the N5 process. According to the company, the 3nm technology offers impressive benefits:

Performance Boost: The new 3 nm technology provides up to an 18% improvement in speed while maintaining the same power consumption. This is great news for users who crave faster and more responsive devices.

Power Efficiency: Alternatively, it allows for a 32% reduction in power consumption while maintaining the same level of performance. This is crucial for extending the battery life of devices, making them more practical for daily use.

Logic Density: The technology boasts approximately a 60% increase in logic density, meaning that more transistors can be packed into a smaller space. This results in more powerful and efficient chips.

MediaTek’s Flagship Dimensity SoC

MediaTek’s flagship Dimensity SoC is the first to utilize TSMC’s 3 nm technology, a significant move that establishes them as a major player in the competitive flagship chipset market.

The Dimensity series is already known for its top-notch performance and efficiency. With the integration of 3nm technology, MediaTek aims to strengthen its position further.

MediaTek’s President, Joe Chen, highlighted TSMC’s vital role in realizing their superior chip designs.

This partnership is poised to establish a new industry standard for flagship chipsets, delivering high performance and quality solutions to customers globally.

Challenges and Outlook

Despite the excitement, there are challenges.

TSMC faces doubts about meeting the demand for 3nm chips.

In 2023, they’re committed to supplying these chips exclusively to Apple.

However, as TSMC fulfills more orders, especially from MediaTek, their 3nm production should significantly rise.

This will play a crucial role in determining the success and impact of this tech advancement.

Intel & Samsung have less customers for 3 nm Chips

According to industry sources, both Samsung Electronics and Intel are having difficulty obtaining orders for 3nm as well as sub-3nm chips, while TSMC continues to grow its client base in the process segment.

There are a few reasons for this. First, 3nm and sub-3nm chips are more expensive to produce than older generations of chips. This is because they require more advanced manufacturing processes and materials. Second, the global chip market is currently in a recession, which is also suppressing demand for new chips.

In addition, Samsung and Intel are both relatively new to the 3nm and sub-3nm process nodes. TSMC, on the other hand, has been producing chips at these nodes for several years and has a much larger customer base.

As a result of these factors, TSMC is expected to continue to dominate the 3nm and sub-3nm chip market for the foreseeable future. Samsung and Intel may eventually be able to compete more effectively in this market, but it will take some time.