Apple is Going Big on 3nm Chips from TSMC—Buys Every Processor for M3?

The massive shift to the 3nm processor is coming to Apple, and reports are now claiming that Cupertino is going big on this change with its partner manufacturer TSMC. However, Apple's actions are centering on buying every 3nm chip that was made by the manufacturers, with the tech company known for doing this before on other unified processors.

It remains unknown which chip Apple is developing for this 3nm process, but several fingers point to the M3 that is allegedly coming this year.

Apple is Going Big on 3nm Chips with TSMC

According to the new report from The Information, Apple is buying a massive number of chips from TSMC, centering on the 3nm chips that it will use for the M3 and the A17 Bionic. It is a win-win for both sides as Apple gets a massive percentage of the products from TSMC from its purchases that are worth billions, with TSMC not charging the company for defective dies.

Every processor is mass-produced from one massive silicon wafer, and according to Ars Technica, the chip designer (Apple) would be charged for every defective die.

However, this is not the case for TSMC, as with the whopping transactions it has with Apple, it can afford to not charge the Cupertino company for every defective die that comes back.

Apple Buys Every 3nm Chip-For M3?

That being said, Apple's massive purchases of the 3nm chip is a significant buy for the company, as apart from its development of the A17 Bionic for the upcoming iPhone 15, there are also chips allotted for its plans to bring the M3 Macs in the future.

However, the reports did not mention anything regarding Apple's allocation of the huge order of chips, if it is meant for the iPhone or Mac. Still, reports are centering that the Mac will make an appearance this year instead of being delayed for 2024.

Apple's 3nm Chip for M3

No more staying in the M2 for Apple, as it is all about moving forward with its next-generation processor known as the M3, with the company testing out what will be added to its capabilities. It is known that the M-series chip are unified processor, with everything it needs right on the built product with 12 cores of CPU and 18 cores of GPU.

This is the most that the public will ever see on a Mac, highlighting the significant shift from its previous releases.

Despite the many changes Apple for its computers and the development of the M-series chips, the company is still staying with its trusted partner, TSMC, to create it. The Taiwanese company is also known for its creation of the M1 and M2 chips from before, as well as the iPhone, iPad, and other tech chips.

The race to bring the first 3nm chip now has Apple, Samsung, and Qualcomm looking to debut their new processor size to the world, known for its more powerful capabilities. That being said, Apple is hogging all of the 3nm chips that TSMC has to offer, with speculations that it will be used for the M3's development, with one device coming this year equipped with the SoC.