Tuesday, December 27th 2022
TSMC to Mark 3 nm Mass Production Start, Looking at Potential New Fabs in Japan and Germany
According to news out of Taiwan, TSMC will hold a ceremony to mark the official mass production start of its 3 nm node on the 29th of December. This is said to help "shatter doubts about de-Taiwanization" or in simpler terms, that Taiwan will lose its golden goose as TSMC invests abroad. The 3 nm fab—known as fab 18—is based in southern Taiwan's Tainan and the ceremony also marks the start of an expansion of TSMC's most advanced fab. TSMC is said to be kicking off its N3E node production sometime in the second half of 2023, followed by its N3P node in 2024, all of which should take place at fab 18, which also produces 5 nm wafers.
In related news, according to Reuters, a Japanese lawmaker from the ruling party has said that TSMC is considering a second plant in Japan, in addition to its current joint venture that is already under construction. TSMC's response to Reuters was that the company isn't ruling out Japan for future fabs, but that the company doesn't have any current plans. At the same time, TSMC is said to be sending executives to Dresden, Germany in early 2023, for a second round of talks about building a fab to help support the European auto industry, although this would be a 28/22 nm fab, which is far from cutting edge these days, although a lot more advanced than most fabs making chips for the auto industry.
Sources:
Yahoo News Taiwan, Reuters, Financial Times, via @dnystedt
In related news, according to Reuters, a Japanese lawmaker from the ruling party has said that TSMC is considering a second plant in Japan, in addition to its current joint venture that is already under construction. TSMC's response to Reuters was that the company isn't ruling out Japan for future fabs, but that the company doesn't have any current plans. At the same time, TSMC is said to be sending executives to Dresden, Germany in early 2023, for a second round of talks about building a fab to help support the European auto industry, although this would be a 28/22 nm fab, which is far from cutting edge these days, although a lot more advanced than most fabs making chips for the auto industry.
15 Comments on TSMC to Mark 3 nm Mass Production Start, Looking at Potential New Fabs in Japan and Germany
Regardless, that means 3nm gpu's are possible in mid to late 2024 maybe? :rockout:
The more advanced N3 nodes should indeed be capable enough for GPUs.
But for workers, wages are higher in the United States and they don't work as much overtime as in East Asia. I'm happy for these American workers at TSMC. Because they will have real human rights.
TSMC should ask for more and more money.
Moar miniscule improvements YOY, every year, for moar & moar $$....
Hello chipmakers everywhere, just an FYI, but I generally prefer to get some hugs & kisses before I get screwed (AGAIN) :D
Instead, choose a place and stick to it while trying to make production cheaper.
Also, Germany will be a funny choice especially since their energy supply is gonna become a big problem for them soon.
The CPU and GPU prices here are ridiculous already. Maybe having domestic fabs will lower a little bitt those.
But then again, the assembly and manufacture of cards and boards are still made in China or Taiwan, so probably nothing is going to change...
At least availability will increase more, so that's a win.
For example, in mainland China, you can buy the RTX4080 on Taobao for less than $1500, but you have to work 60-70 hours a week or more. For such hard work, most people only get $1100 to $1300 a month.
Even if I bought the RTX4080, how would I have time to play it? In East Asia, crazy overtime is more intolerable than low salaries.
Its that, or we allow some fool at the bottom end to pay that price for us. We've always been like that, it was never really correct was it. Especially not if the fool is ourselves...The foreplay was crypto and that ship has sailed... ? :P
But lets be real: it won't.