Apple is gearing up to make a significant advancement in its custom silicon by adopting the next-generation 3nm manufacturing process later this year. In the realm of semiconductors, the “node” refers to the smallest possible dimension used in chip manufacturing, and it has a profound impact on transistor density, performance, cost, and efficiency.
Back in 2020, Apple made a major leap forward by transitioning to TSMC’s 5nm process for chips like the A14 Bionic and M1. However, certain chips, such as those found in Apple Watch models, continued to rely on the 7nm process based on the A13 Bionic design.
With the imminent move to 3nm, Apple’s chips are poised to deliver the most significant performance and efficiency improvements since 2020.
The increased transistor count made possible by 3nm technology empowers the chips to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and at a faster pace, all while consuming less power compared to the current 5nm process.
Moreover, the shift to 3nm opens up possibilities for more advanced dedicated hardware. This means Apple’s future chips could bring notable enhancements to artificial intelligence, machine learning capabilities, and graphics performance.
Insider reports indicate that upcoming Apple silicon chips built on the 3nm process will incorporate up to four dies, allowing for support of up to 40 compute cores. This suggests a substantial boost in multi-core performance compared to the current lineup of M-series chips.
TSMC, the manufacturer responsible for producing Apple’s chips, has been conducting rigorous testing on 3nm production since 2021. Full-scale commercial production of 3nm chips is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2022. Notably, Apple’s sizable order for 3nm chips reportedly fills TSMC’s entire production capacity for this year.
However, recent reports suggest that TSMC is grappling with challenges related to tools and yield, which could impact the volume production ramp-up. While minor delays may occur, it is unlikely that Apple would postpone the launch of devices featuring the highly anticipated A17 Bionic and iPhone 15 Pro models due to these issues.
Simultaneously, Apple is actively developing multiple M3 chips under the codenames Ibiza, Lobos, and Palma. Looking ahead, well-regarded analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts that the 2024 MacBook Pro models will feature the powerful M3 Pro and M3 Max chips.
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