TSMC Expected To Begin 3nm Chip Production In Late 2022 Ahead ...

Skip to ContentOpen Menu

• Front Page
• Roundups Show Roundups
  • AirPods 4
  • AirPods Max
  • AirPods Pro 3
  • AirTag
  • Apple Deals
  • Apple Pay
  • Apple Pro Display XDR
  • Apple Studio Display
  • Apple TV
  • Apple Vision Pro
  • Apple Watch 11
  • Apple Watch SE 3
  • Apple Watch Ultra 3
  • CarPlay
  • HomePod
  • HomePod mini
  • iMac
  • iOS 26
  • iPad
  • iPad Air
  • iPad mini
  • iPad Pro
  • iPadOS 26
  • iPhone 16
  • iPhone 16e
  • iPhone 17
  • iPhone 17 Pro
  • iPhone 18
  • iPhone Air
  • Mac mini
  • Mac Pro
  • Mac Studio
  • MacBook Air
  • MacBook Pro
  • macOS Tahoe
  • watchOS 26
• Guides
• How Tos
• Reviews
• Buyer's Guide
• Forums

PodcastInstagramFacebookTwitterMastodonYouTubeNotificationsRSSNewsletterVisit ForumsSearchClose SearchOpen Sidebar

• AirTag
• iPhone 18
• iOS 26
• macOS Tahoe
• iPadOS 26
• iPhone 17
• iPhone 17 Pro
• MacBook Pro
• iMac
• Mac mini
• HomePod
• Apple TV
• iPad Pro
• iPhone Air
• Apple Vision Pro
• iPhone 16
• iPhone 16e
• AirPods 4
• Apple Pro Display XDR
• Apple Watch Ultra 3
• HomePod mini
• Mac Pro
• MacBook Air
• iPad
• AirPods Max
• AirPods Pro 3
• Apple Deals
• Apple Studio Display
• Apple Watch 11
• Apple Watch SE 3
• Mac Studio
• iPad Air
• iPad mini
• CarPlay
• Apple Pay
• watchOS 26

All >

• Front Page
• Roundups
• Guides
• How Tos
• Reviews
• Buyer's Guide
• Upcoming Products
• Forums
• Archives
• Tips / Contact Us
• PodcastInstagramFacebookTwitterMastodonYouTubeNotificationsRSSNewsletter

TSMC Expected to Begin 3nm Chip Production in Late 2022 Ahead of First M3 MacsThursday December 23, 2021 8:36 am PST by Joe Rossignol

TSMC plans to begin commercial production of chips built on its 3nm process in the fourth quarter of 2022, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. The full report has yet to be published, so no additional details are available at this time.

Apple is expected to release its first devices with 3nm chips fabricated by TSMC in 2023, including Macs with M3 chips and iPhone 15 models with A17 chips. As usual, the move to a more advanced process will result in improved performance and power efficiency, which will enable faster speeds and longer battery life on future Macs and iPhones.

The Information's Wayne Ma last month reported that some M3 chips will have up to four dies, which he said could allow for up to a 40-core CPU. By comparison, the M1 chip has an 8-core CPU and the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips have 10-core CPUs.

M1 Macs already offer industry-leading performance-per-watt, while the A15 chip in iPhone 13 models is the fastest processor ever in a smartphone, so the move to a 3nm process within a few years should only bolster Apple's lead in this area.

Tags: 2023 iPhones, 3nm Guide, TSMCRelated Forum: iPhone[ 123 comments ]

Get weekly top MacRumors stories in your inbox.

Popular Stories

Apple Shows Off a Key Reason to Upgrade to the iPhone 17

Saturday February 7, 2026 9:26 am PST by Joe RossignolApple today shared an ad that shows how the upgraded Center Stage front camera on the latest iPhones improves the process of taking a group selfie. "Watch how the new front facing camera on iPhone 17 Pro takes group selfies that automatically expand and rotate as more people come into frame," says Apple. While the ad is focused on the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max, the regular iPhone...Read Full Article • 82 comments

Why Apple's iOS 26.4 Siri Upgrade Will Be Bigger Than Originally Promised

Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli CloverIn the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do. The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up. Upgraded Architecture The next-generation...Read Full Article • 155 comments

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe RossignolApple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld. The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld. Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...Read Full Article

Apple Says These 7 U.S. States Plan to Offer iPhone Driver's Licenses

Monday February 9, 2026 6:24 am PST by Joe RossignolIn select U.S. states, residents can add their driver's license or state ID to the Apple Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, and then use it to display proof of identity or age at select airports and businesses, and in select apps. The feature is currently available in 13 U.S. states and Puerto Rico, and it is expected to launch in at least seven more in the future. To set up the...Read Full Article • 94 comments

New MacBook Pros Could Now Arrive in March

Sunday February 8, 2026 6:02 am PST by Hartley CharltonNew MacBook Pro models with the M5 Pro and M5 Max chips could arrive as soon as Monday, March 2, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In today's "Power On" newsletter, Gurman said that the release of new MacBook Pro models is tied to the release of macOS Tahoe 26.3. The launch is said to be slated for as early as the week of March 2. He added that the M4 Pro and M4 Max models on sale today...Read Full Article • 128 comments

Top Rated Comments

bergert54 months agoDear CEO of INTEL. To go from 4 to 6 cores of your XEON I paid $1000 INTEL-tax (OK, plus upgrade from D300 to D500 GPU). Yet, it is beaten handily my an iPhone chip consuming 20W. Don't put big words in your mouth how you want to "do business with Apple" - you had more than 10 years to produce a reasonable fast CPU; and all you have are lame excuses for a product which still costs top $$$. Go to the corner, think about how your failed miserably, and shut the f*ck up.Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)ooans54 months agoWow... Kinda embarrased that I own an M1 based Mac. Nearly obsolete!Score: 24 Votes (Like | Disagree)djcerla54 months agoCue BMW suing Apple: “too fast, can create brand confusion”.Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)Realityck54 months agoTSMC stated on its official website that the 3nm process is a complete process node span after 5nm. For the 3nm process foundry chips, the theoretical density of transistors will increase by 70% relative to 5nm. Furthermore, the operating speed will increase by 15%, and the energy efficiency will increase by 30%.Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)Eric_WVGG54 months agoIt’s going to be interesting to see if the Mac consumer upgrade cycle decreases as a result of the Apple Silicon change.Back in the nineties and early 2000’s, it seemed uncommon for a laptop to be useful for more than about two years. The rate of change was such that anything became unusable within that period, and often didn't even have the necessary specs to run new software.That hasn't been the case for close to a decade now. Average computers still run great between 8 (really!) and 16gb RAM, maybe 32 for power users. My last computer, a 2016 MBP, was great for five years; my brother-in-law just informed me that he was finally replacing his 2013 MBP with an M1(!!).I don't expect software needs to catch up with Apple Silicon speed any time soon (if ever), but one of the fascinating and under-reported things about M1 processors is that they don't just run faster than Intel chips, they do different things. There is no Intel "Neural Engine," for example. Afterburner cards haven't exactly taken off, but it's an interesting concept that has only just been tried.While I can pretty much promise that I won't be replacing this M1Pro with an M2Pro next year, I can't say the same for the M3Pro. It might not just be faster — it could also be new in a way that wasn't possible in the Intel era.Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)TheYayAreaLiving ?️54 months agoGreat news. Ahead of the schedule.?☝️?Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)Read All Comments

Next Article

OpenAI's Jony Ive-Designed Device Delayed to 2027

Guides

iOS 26 Features

Our comprehensive guide highlighting every major new addition in iOS 26, plus how-tos that walk you through using the new features.

iOS 26.2 Features

Reminder alarms, more Liquid Glass tweaks, AirDrop improvements, and more.

50 macOS Tahoe Features

New features and lesser-known changes to check out if you're upgrading.

iPhone 17 vs iPhone 17 Pro vs iPhone Air

Apple's four new iPhones feature more differences between the latest models than ever before, so which one should you buy?

• Apple Intelligence Guide • Image Playground Guide • iPhone Mirroring Not Working? • 21 Time-Saving iPhone Tips • 14 macOS Tips to Make Your Life Easier • One AirPod Not Working? See more guides

Upcoming

iPhone 17e Early 2026

A19 chip, MagSafe, and perhaps a Dynamic Island instead of a display notch.

Apple TV Early 2026?

Upgrade to A17 or newer chip with Apple Intelligence support, plus Apple's new N1 wireless networking chip.

Smart Home Hub Early 2026?

Squarish 7-inch screen for controlling smart home products, listening to music, making video calls, and more.

HomePod mini Early 2026?

Faster chips and new colors expected.

• Low-Cost MacBook • MacBook Air • MacBook Pro • Studio Display • Mac mini • Mac Studio • iPhone 18 Pro • Foldable iPhone See full product calendar

Other Stories

Warning: Update Your Apple Home App by Tomorrow

16 hours ago by Joe Rossignol

All-New Apple CarPlay Feature Leaked

2 days ago by Joe Rossignol

Apple Rumored to Announce New Product on February 19

5 days ago by Joe Rossignol

No iPhone 18 This Year, New Report Says

5 days ago by Joe Rossignol

iPhone 17e Coming Soon With These New Features

6 days ago by Joe Rossignol