M3 Chip for Macs and A17 Chip for iPhone 15 Pro Will Reportedly Use TSMC's Second-Generation 3nm Process

Apple's future M3 chip for Macs and A17 chip for iPhone 15 Pro models will be manufactured based on TSMC's enhanced 3nm process known as N3E next year, according to a new report from Nikkei Asia. The devices are expected to launch throughout 2023.

m3 feature black
N3E will offer improved performance and power efficiency compared to TSMC's first-generation 3nm process known as N3, according to the report.

In the meantime, the report claims that Apple plans to use TSMC's first-generation 3nm process for some of its upcoming iPad chips. It's unclear which iPad models the report is referring to, as rumors suggest that Apple will update the iPad Pro next month with the M2 chip, which is manufactured based on TSMC's second-generation 5nm process. A new entry-level iPad with an older A14 chip is also expected later this year.

The report claims that 2023 could mark the second year in a row in which only the Pro models of the new iPhone lineup feature Apple's latest chip. Last week, Apple unveiled iPhone 14 Pro models with an A16 chip based on TSMC's 4nm process, while the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models are equipped with the previous-generation A15 chip.

Tags: 3nm Guide, M3

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Friday July 4, 2025 1:05 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are just over two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:Apple logo repositioned: Apple's logo may have a lower position on the back of the iPhone 17 Pro models, compared to previous...
Apple Watch Ultra Night Mode Screen

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Launching Later This Year With Two Key Upgrades

Wednesday July 2, 2025 1:13 pm PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 appears to be nearly over, and it is rumored to feature both satellite connectivity and 5G support. Apple Watch Ultra's existing Night Mode In his latest Power On newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman said that the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is on track to launch this year with "significant" new features, including satellite connectivity, which would let you...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Max Battery Capacity Leaked

Thursday July 3, 2025 5:40 am PDT by
The iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature the biggest ever battery in an iPhone, according to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital." In a new post, the leaker listed the battery capacities of the iPhone 11 Pro Max through to the iPhone 16 Pro Max, and added that the iPhone 17 Pro Max will feature a battery capacity of 5,000mAh: iPhone 11 Pro Max: 3,969mAh iPhone 12 Pro Max: 3,687mAh...
airpods pro 2

AirPods Pro 3 to Help Maintain Apple's Place in Earbud Market Amid Increasing Low-Cost Competition

Thursday July 3, 2025 7:25 am PDT by
Apple's position as the dominant force in the global true wireless stereo (TWS) earbud market is expected to continue through 2025, according to Counterpoint Research. The forecast outlines a 3% year-over-year increase in global TWS unit shipments for 2025, signaling a transition from rapid growth to a more mature phase for the category. While Apple is set to remain the leading brand by...
iphone 16 pro models 1

Here's How the iPhone 17 Pro Max Will Compare to the iPhone 17 Pro

Saturday July 5, 2025 1:00 pm PDT by
Apple should unveil the iPhone 17 series in September, and there might be one bigger difference between the Pro and Pro Max models this year. As always, the Pro Max model will be larger than the Pro model:iPhone 17 Pro: 6.3-inch display iPhone 17 Pro Max: 6.9-inch displayGiven the Pro Max is physically larger than the Pro, it has more internal space, allowing for a larger battery and...
apple silicon mac lineup 2024 feature purple m5

Apple's Upcoming Macs Listed in New Report

Thursday July 3, 2025 9:09 am PDT by
AppleInsider's Marko Zivkovic today shared a list of alleged identifiers for future Mac models, which should roll out over the next year or so. The report does not reveal anything too surprising, but it does serve as further evidence that Apple is seemingly working on new models of every Mac, including the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro. Apple is...

Top Rated Comments

jole Avatar
37 months ago
Horrors. My iPhone 14 Pro is now totally outdated and super slow.
Score: 42 Votes (Like | Disagree)
fel10 Avatar
37 months ago
Damn, can we at least enjoy the iPhone 14 for a few days before starting to talk about the iPhone 15
Score: 32 Votes (Like | Disagree)
B.A.T Avatar
37 months ago
whenever these are released my 2013 iMac will still be going strong
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BlazednSleepy Avatar
37 months ago
Time to toss my iPhone 14 Pro in the bin. It was fun for the zero time I've had with it.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
FattiesGoneWild Avatar
37 months ago
Stale and old news. Can we bring some fresh news about the iPhone 16 Pro for once?!?!
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apples Apples Everywhere Avatar
37 months ago
I hereby announce that the M3 and A17 will feature Wifi 6E. Which I just now made up.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)