Macs With 'M3' Chips Expected to Use TSMC's 3nm Chip Technology With Test Production Reportedly Underway

Apple's chipmaking partner TSMC has kicked off pilot production of chips built on its 3nm process, known as N3, according to Taiwanese supply chain publication DigiTimes.

m3 feature black
The report, citing unnamed industry sources, claims that TSMC will move the process to volume production by the fourth quarter of 2022 and start shipping 3nm chips to customers like Apple and Intel in the first quarter of 2023.

As usual, this process advancement should allow for performance and power efficiency improvements, which can lead to faster speeds and/or longer battery life on future iPhones and Macs. The first series of Apple silicon Macs powered by M1 chips already deliver industry-leading performance per watt while running impressively quiet and cool.

The first Apple devices with 3nm chips will likely debut in 2023, including iPhone 15 models with an A17 chip and Apple silicon Macs with M3 chips — all names are tentative. The Information's Wayne Ma last month reported that some of the M3 chips will have up to four dies, which the report said could translate into those chips having up to a 40-core CPU, compared to the 8-core M1 chip and 10-core M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

In the meantime, Macs with M2 chips and iPhone 14 models are expected to use chips based on TSMC's N4 process, which is another iteration of its 5nm process.

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Top Rated Comments

mihirdelirious Avatar
47 months ago

Yeah and M5 will use -1nm process. Stop spreading BS before even the M2 is out...
Relax. The website you are surfing is called MacRumors for a reason.
Score: 43 Votes (Like | Disagree)
anthonymoody Avatar
47 months ago
I'm holding out for the G6 Powerbook.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tagbert Avatar
47 months ago

Am I going to be buying new Macs every year like iPhones? Hopefully Apple will introduce an upgrade program.
You don't need to buy new Macs every year. You don't need to buy new iPhones every year.

Just because Apple has new products each year, doesn't mean that we need to spend more money just to get the new shiny with incremental improvements. If you wait you can save money and when you do upgrade, the changes are actually noticeable.
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacLawyer Avatar
47 months ago
This chip will definitely speed up my web browsing and email. ?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Vjosullivan Avatar
47 months ago

Am I going to be buying new Macs every year like iPhones? Hopefully Apple will introduce an upgrade program.
Why would you buy a new iPhone every year?
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Justin Cymbal Avatar
47 months ago
Can’t wait!

I’m planning on getting a MacBook Air to use as my computer for when I travel and will definitely hold out to get an M3 now

I’m using the new M1 iMac as my main computer and it’s so much faster than my Intel iMac
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)