NVIDIA and AMD have apparently started ordering GPUs from foundries. However, there is a difference in the wafer production finesse between the Reds and the Greens. While the Chameleon places orders in N4P, the RX 8000s from the Reds are in N3B. Are the greens lagging behind in engraving?
RX 8000: orders in N3B versus N4P for the RTX 50?
According to Asian media outlet UDN, the Greens and Reds have placed a large number of orders with TSMC. While the destination of these orders is not known, given the timetable, we suspect that they concern the new generations of graphics cards. As mentioned above, while the Greens are turning to the 4nm N4P process, the Reds are placing orders via the 3nm N3B, originally N3.
However, in terms of engraving, AMD could well release new graphics cards produced using a more advanced process. Based on comparisons with the N5, the N4P offers an 11% improvement in performance and a 22% reduction in power consumption. The N3B, on the other hand, goes even further, with a 10-15% increase in performance and a 25-30% reduction in consumption… And this is only the lowest-performance process based on TSMC’s 3nm process.
In short, on paper, AMD is giving itself the means to offer cards using a more efficient etching process than NVIDIA’s. Furthermore, it should be remembered that, in order to capture as much market share as possible, the company will only be concentrating on sectors that are profitable. To achieve this, we will only have cards in the entry and mid-range sectors, while the Chameleon will have free rein at the top and very top end of the market.
It remains to be seen whether this advance in engraving will have any repercussions in real life. Indeed, even if it does gives an advantage in theory, The GPU architecture also has its influence!
