Samsung Begins Production of 3nm chips, Beating TSMC

Samsung has kickstarted production of its own 3nm chipset. As the company has begun to fabricate the more efficient and powerful chips, Samsung is effectively beating Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) in the production race.

Earlier this month, it was reported that TSMC was on track to begin mass production of its own 3nm chip. At the time, it appeared as though TSMC would be the first major global manufacturer to hit production. This would also line up great for the next series of iPhones. However, according to Bloomberg, Samsung has beaten TSMC to the mark.

In a press release, Samsung confirms that its 3nm chip will be built using Gate-All-Around (GAA) transistor architecture. This will be the first time Samsung applies such architecture. When compared to its 5nm process, the 3nm chip may offer 45 percent more power efficiency. Additionally, the 3nm chip process may enable higher performance of 23 percent. This may all be achieved on a chip 16 percent smaller than its 5nm sister chip.

Samsung has ambitious plans for its second-generation 3nm chip. It hopes that by the time production kicks off for the new iteration, it will reduce power consumption by 50 percent. Additionally, Samsung hopes it can increase performance by 30 percent and reduce the size of the chip by 35 percent.

The announcement certainly takes the wind out from under TSMC’s sails. The manufacturer is primed to kick off its own production sometime in the second half of 2022. However, Bloomberg notes that Samsung’s production advantage may not translate to market dominance. In fact, it’s believed Samsung will not impact TSMC’s market share, which is largely attributed to its involvement in Apple’s iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, and Macs. However, if Samsung is able to prove the cost-efficiency of its new 3nm process, that may change.

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