FEATURE
This year, Apple could make the jump to TSMC’s
brand-new 5nm process. In fact, it’s likely to be the
first large-scale consumer chip to ship using it.
This is a big upgrade. The 5nm mode is not
a half-step by any stretch, but it is the next ‘full
node’ after 7nm. It uses extreme ultraviolet (EUV)
lithography extensively throughout the process, and
TSMC says it delivers 80 percent more logic density
and can run either 15 percent faster at the same
power as its 7nm chips, or 30 percent lower power
at the same performance level.
Of course, design matters, too. Apple won’t
necessarily meet these exact figures. But on
manufacturing process alone, the A14 would be a
significantly faster and more power-efficient chip.
A big transistor budget
The A13 measures around 98.5mm^2 , which is roughly
20 percent larger than the 83.2mm^2 A12. That’s only
slightly smaller than my original prediction last year, but
my assumption about transistor budget was way off.
I assumed Apple would use TSMC’s N7+ node, which
affords increased transistor density. Instead, Apple
opted for the N7P mode, which does not. As a result, the
A13 has about 8.5 billion transistors, rather than then
10 billion I predicted.
For this year, I think Apple is likely to keep the
processor around the same overall size. About 100mm^2
is a good size for a high-performance premium mobile
processor with a lot of stacked components.
If we take TSMC at its word about the improved
transistor density of the 5nm process, we’re looking at
FEATURE
Thisyear,ApplecouldmakethejumptoTSMC’s
brand-new5nmprocess.Infact,it’slikelytobethe
first large-scaleconsumerchiptoshipusingit.
Thisisabigupgrade.The5nmmodeisnot
ahalf-stepbyanystretch,butitisthenext‘full
node’after7nm.Itusesextremeultraviolet(EUV)
lithographyextensivelythroughouttheprocess,and
TSMCsaysitdelivers 80 percentmorelogicdensity
and canruneither 15 percentfasteratthesame
powerasits7nmchips,or 30 percentlowerpower
at thesameperformancelevel.
Ofcourse,designmatters,too.Applewon’t
necessarilymeettheseexactfigures.Buton
manufacturingprocessalone,theA14wouldbea
significantlyfasterandmorepower-efficientchip.
A bigtransistorbudget
TheA13measuresaround98.5mm^2 ,whichisroughly
20 percentlargerthanthe83.2mm^2 A12.That’sonly
slightlysmallerthanmyoriginalpredictionlastyear,but
myassumptionabouttransistorbudgetwaswayoff.
IassumedApplewoulduseTSMC’sN7+node,which
affordsincreasedtransistordensity.Instead,Apple
optedfortheN7Pmode,whichdoesnot.Asaresult,the
A13hasabout8.5billiontransistors,ratherthanthen
10 billionIpredicted.
Forthisyear,IthinkAppleislikelytokeepthe
processoraroundthesameoverallsize.About100mm^2
isagoodsizeforahigh-performancepremiummobile
processorwithalotofstackedcomponents.
IfwetakeTSMCatitswordabouttheimproved
transistordensityofthe5nmprocess,we’relookingat
