AMD to Outpace Apple as TSMC's Biggest 7nm Customer in 2020

[btarunr]

AMD in the second half of 2020 could outpace Apple as the biggest foundry customer of TSMC for its 7 nm silicon fabrication nodes (DUV and EUV combined). There are two key factors contributing to this: AMD significantly increasing its orders for the year; and Apple transitioning to TSMC's 5 nm node for its A14 SoC, freeing up some 7 nm allocation, which AMD grabbed. AMD is currently tapping into 7 nm DUV for its "Zen 2" chiplet, "Navi 10," and "Navi 14" GPU dies. The company could continue to order 7 nm DUV until these products reach EOL; while also introducing the new "Renoir" APU die on the process. The foundry's new 7 nm+ (EUV) node will be utilized for "Zen 3" chiplets and "Navi 2#" GPU dies in 2020.

Currently, the top-5 customers for TSMC 7 nm are Apple, HiSilicon, Qualcomm, AMD, and MediaTek. Barring AMD, the others in the top-5 build mobile SoCs or 4G/5G modem chips on the node. AMD is expected to top the list as it scales up orders with TSMC. In the first half of 2020, TSMC's monthly output for 7 nm is expected to grow to 110,000 wafers per month (wpm). Apple's migration to 5 nm in 2H-2020, coupled with capacity-addition could take TSMC's 7 nm output to 140,000 wpm. AMD has reportedly booked the entire capacity-addition for 30,000 wpm, taking its allocation up to 21% in 2H-2020. Qualcomm is switching to Samsung for its next-generation SoCs and modems designed for 7 nm EUV. NVIDIA, too, is expected to built its next-gen 7 nm EUV GPUs on Samsung instead of TSMC. These moves by big players could free up significant foundry allocation at TSMC for AMD's volumes to grow in 2020.



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[Flanker]

Looks like Ryzen's are selling well indeed

 

[cucker tarlson]

Looks like Ryzen's are selling well indeed

the whole zen is just part of it
navi for consoles

this whole things smells bad for gpu prices though.
nvidia is gonna hit with 7nm when tsmc will have their hands full with other amd stuff that they very much proritize

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

so many intel will skip 10nm and goto 7nm after AMD is done with 7nm?

 

[btarunr]

the whole zen is just part of it
navi for consoles

this whole things smells bad for gpu prices though.
nvidia is gonna hit with 7nm when tsmc will have their hands full with other amd stuff that they very much proritize

NVIDIA 7 nm GPUs on Samsung.

 

[HwGeek]

but.... but ... everyone kept repeating that AMD is too small and irrelevant client for TSMC and they were only getting scraps from their capacity... .
Soon when Mobile market start to shift towards AMD then N7 orders will increase, also looks like APPLE is considering AMD's APU's so AMD will be in very good position to ask for more capacity, since the wafflers are made for APPLE, and AMD and APPLE are their biggest customers combined.

 

[cucker tarlson]

NVIDIA 7 nm GPUs on Samsung.

Yes.
That's the point.
Competition for 7nm ampere is gonna be really scarce for quite some time.

 

[R0H1T]

but.... but ... everyone kept repeating that AMD is too small and irrelevant client for TSMC and they were only getting scraps from their capacity...

That's partly true, also are you forgetting that Apple is moving to 5nm EUV? TSMC's biggest customers are Huawei & Apple, possibly QC behind them but QC also uses Samsung. Anyone saying AMD is irrelevant to TSMC is plain wrong, now if your argument is that this (transition) makes them more important for TSMC then you're wrong as well. Huawei & Apple will continue to be much more important especially Huawei because they're venturing into severs & desktops!

Huawei's latest motherboard opens to door for desktops powered by ARM processors

 

[Flanker]

Shouldn't AMD be moving to 5nm as well for next gen chips?

 

[Tsukiyomi91]

not surprised.

 

[R0H1T]

Shouldn't AMD be moving to 5nm as well for next gen chips?

Next gen as in? Zen4 will be 5nm IIRC & that's well over a year away.

 

[renz496]

the whole zen is just part of it
navi for consoles

this whole things smells bad for gpu prices though.
nvidia is gonna hit with 7nm when tsmc will have their hands full with other amd stuff that they very much proritize

somehow i think nvidia will not going to have much issue when it comes to 7nm capacity. right now we still did not really know if nvidia will be using the same 7nm node that everyone is using. they could end up with more specific process that is tailored for their architecture only. and nvidia most likely have the capital to make it happen. even if they end up using the same 7nm node everyone is using they can probably pressure TSMC to give them more capacity like what happen back in 2012.

 

[cucker tarlson]

somehow i think nvidia will not going to have much issue when it comes to 7nm capacity. right now we still did not really know if nvidia will be using the same 7nm node that everyone is using. they could end up with more specific process that is tailored for their architecture only. and nvidia most likely have the capital to make it happen. even if they end up using the same 7nm node everyone is using they can probably pressure TSMC to give them more capacity like what happen back in 2012.

I was referring to the fact ampere cards will launch when desktop navi may hit production stall

 

[Imsochobo]

but.... but ... everyone kept repeating that AMD is too small and irrelevant client for TSMC and they were only getting scraps from their capacity... .
Soon when Mobile market start to shift towards AMD then N7 orders will increase, also looks like APPLE is considering AMD's APU's so AMD will be in very good position to ask for more capacity, since the wafflers are made for APPLE, and AMD and APPLE are their biggest customers combined.

well, it's still true, but they are increasing rapidly.
in a short while they won't be a small player anymore.

 

[notb]

but.... but ... everyone kept repeating that AMD is too small and irrelevant client for TSMC and they were only getting scraps from their capacity... .

Because it is true.
It's not about AMD growing significantly. It's about other clients moving to newer node or to another supplier.

 

[PanicLake]

Because it is true.
It's not about AMD growing significantly. It's about other clients moving to newer node or to another supplier.

What other node exactly?

 

[notb]

What other node exactly?

Have you read the text or are you in write-only mode?

 

[Vayra86]

the whole zen is just part of it
navi for consoles

this whole things smells bad for gpu prices though.
nvidia is gonna hit with 7nm when tsmc will have their hands full with other amd stuff that they very much proritize

Remember Pascal on 16nm... Same shit really. First 28nm GPUs... not much different...

 

[efikkan]

this whole things smells bad for gpu prices though.
nvidia is gonna hit with 7nm when tsmc will have their hands full with other amd stuff that they very much proritize

AMD have been very fortunate that Nvidia didn't need 7nm (DUV), leaving AMD pretty much alone to utilize the 7nm high power node from TSMC. In the past I believe Nvidia have booked ~70% of the HP node capacity, just imagine if this was also the case for 7nm when Zen 2 launched…

Now with 7nm EUV coming, the pressure on TSMC will of course increase, but whatever the production distribution will be, that's all settled far ahead in wafer supply agreements. And companies like Apple, MediaTek etc. will be using the low power nodes.

 

[Ravenas]

That's only because Apple is transitioning to 5nm at the same time that AMD will be taking Apple's 7nm allotment.

I realize that the article basically states that, but the headline is misleading in my opinion.

 

[hardcore_gamer]

Zen4 will be 5nm

We don't know that yet. Anandtech posted an interview with AMD’s CTO Mark Papermaster this week. He said "We haven’t announced a 5nm part at this point".

 

[Dbiggs9]

In the Business world AMD is a huge client so it would be others struggling to get that Fab time.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Even if 5nm is ready this year, AMD wouldnt jump on it. Mobile chips are much easier to make on low yeild tech then desktop CPUs, let alone GPUs. If 5nm is ready this year, I'd bet on 2022 for a 5nm AMD chip.

 

[Fluffmeister]

They have certainly come a long way, especially considering "Real men have fabs".

 

[R0H1T]

Even if 5nm is ready this year, AMD wouldnt jump on it. Mobile chips are much easier to make on low yeild tech then desktop CPUs, let alone GPUs. If 5nm is ready this year, I'd bet on 2022 for a 5nm AMD chip.

They are, Apple is rumored to switch some of their Macbooks to the Axx line. Also you must've read about the latest deal with Imagination? Could be sign of the inevitable switch from x86 and Intel.