Unlike Intel and its 18A, it would appear that the industry is impatient for TSMC’s N2 to arrive. Early reports indicate strong demand from the Taiwanese foundry, while large companies are showing interest in the process. On the other hand, the company is preparing its production lines, sizing them accordingly.
N2: some fifteen companies on the alert!
With its N2, TSMC is set to introduce a number of new features, including the famous GAA or Gate-all-around transistors. The latter enable improved power supply, while NanoFlex cells offer better performance at lower power consumption. In short, these are elements that were not present with the company’s 3 and 5 nm processes, and it is partly these elements that are attracting customers. Indeed, they are expecting a quantum leap in efficiency. This is an important factor when it comes to running large quantities of chips in server or mobile environments, where power consumption must be taken into account.
Big companies are taking an interest in this process. At the forefront is Apple, which is set to offer N2-engraved A19/A19 Pro and M-Series chips. These will be the chips used in future iPhones and iMacs respectively… But Apple is not alone. AMD is also very interested in the node, and the Reds could launch Zen 6 as early as 2026 with CCDs using this process. Finally, paradoxical as it may seem, Intel is also said to be a TSMC customer for its Nova Lake processors, while other names such as Qualcomm and Broadcomm are also interested.
For its part, the foundry is preparing its production lines, and it is rumoured that the company is preparing three 2 nm fabs in Taiwan. But in Arizona, preparations are also gathering pace for Fab 21’s Module 3.
Demand in this node will be strong for all the innovations mentioned above. Some companies have made a real leap forward, such as AMD, which has not hesitated to take the plunge for its next processors.
