The success garnered by TSMC has turned into a double-edged sword for both the world’s biggest foundry and its customers, as the manufacturer’s 3nm supply has become so constrained that only long-term and loyal customers like Apple are given priority. During this demand and supply disparity, Samsung emerges as the savior for those who are unable to secure orders from their ‘go-to’ manufacturer, with the Korean giant’s second-generation 2nm GAA process, also known as SF2P, serving as the ideal alternative.
With the 2nm GAA SF2P’s basic design completed, Samsung is also reportedly planning a ‘hybrid’ production system that enables multiple order requirements to be fulfilled
An ambitious target that involves increasing 2nm GAA orders by 130 percent has been reported to be set by Samsung for this year, as TSMC is unable to solve its production woes, leaving a massive opportunity just waiting to be capitalized on. With Samsung’s first-generation 2nm GAA technology, which was used to mass produce the Exynos 2600, reaching yields of 60 percent, there is sufficient evidence that the next-generation technology has managed to become somewhat stable.
However, the real opportunity lies in securing orders for its SF2P node, which aims to raise the bar on performance and efficiency, leading TSMC’s non-priority customers to divert their orders to Samsung’s foundry. According to The Korea Herald, the company aims to introduce a ‘hybrid’ semiconductor production system that can seamlessly switch between advanced logic chips and memory to diversely sate the requirements of various customers.
Samsung’s P5 facility at its Pyeongtaek campus in Gyeonggi Province serves as a hub for this goal and is considered the firm’s first ‘triple fab’ with three floors dedicated to both memory and foundry production. The flexibility will allow Samsung to shift order priority based on demand. If this wasn’t enough, the Taylor plant located in Texas is set to begin operations in the second half of this year, with test operations having reportedly commenced in March.
If there’s one goal Samsung needs to focus on for its 2nm GAA process, it is efficiency. Irrespective of whether the yield obstacle is successfully scaled, the efficiency part could really use some tweaking, as the Exynos 2600 has been demonstrated to have a peak power draw of 30W when running benchmarks like Geekbench 6. This excessive heat generation also adversely affects battery life, which is why the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 version of the Galaxy S26 lasts significantly longer than the Exynos 2600 variant.
News Source: The Korea Herald
About the author: Omar Sohail is a reporter and analyst for Wccftech's mobile section, specializing in the technology and business of the mobile industry. His expertise lies in the intricate hardware supply chain, covering developments in semiconductor manufacturing, chip lithography, and camera sensor technology.
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