Samsung Foundry has never been hailed as the pinnacle of chip manufacturing prowess. The company itself has acknowledged that its current mass production of cutting-edge process technologies pales in comparison to the advanced production nodes of its Taiwanese counterpart, TSMC.

However, earlier this year, Samsung made a bold promise to surpass TSMC within the next five years. Surprisingly enough, it appears that this transformation is already underway.

According to a recent report, Samsung’s 3 nm process yield has not only caught up to TSMC but has actually surpassed it by a considerable margin.

A reputable Korean publication, KMIB, asserts that Samsung has made significant strides in improving the yield of its 3 nm process.

The reported yield rate for Samsung’s 3 nm process now stands at an impressive 60%, while TSMC continues to struggle at a mere 55%. For those unfamiliar with the term, yield refers to the percentage of functional chips obtained from a silicon wafer.

A higher yield means that more chips can be manufactured from each wafer, ultimately driving down production costs.

Interestingly, TSMC, which allegedly handles the manufacturing of Apple’s highly anticipated A17 and M3 chips on its 3 nm process, has adopted a rather unconventional approach.

Instead of charging Apple the standard price of $17,000 per wafer unit, TSMC is reportedly only billing the tech giant for the chips that meet its quality standards.

This unusual move is primarily due to the relatively low yield rate of TSMC’s 3 nm process, as reported by KMIB.

If Samsung truly outperforms TSMC in terms of yield, it stands a good chance of luring back some customers it had lost in recent years.

In fact, there are rumors circulating that AMD, a major player in the tech industry, is considering Samsung’s 3 nm node for its forthcoming AI and data center components. It’s worth noting that TSMC has traditionally held an edge over Samsung when it comes to yield rates.

In the case of their respective 4 nm processes, Samsung achieved a yield of 75%, whereas TSMC boasted an impressive 80%.

This turn of events bodes well for Samsung’s ambitions of establishing itself as a formidable player in the chip manufacturing arena.

The company’s relentless pursuit of technological advancement seems to be paying off, as it now poses a genuine threat to TSMC’s long-standing dominance. With a superior yield rate and potential interest from prominent customers like AMD, Samsung is proving that it is more than capable of challenging the industry status quo.

In conclusion, Samsung’s recent progress in improving the yield of its 3 nm process showcases its determination to surpass TSMC.

The fact that Samsung has surpassed TSMC in this crucial aspect is a significant milestone, bolstering its credibility and attractiveness to potential customers.

If Samsung continues on this trajectory, it is poised to regain lost ground and emerge as a formidable contender in the competitive chip manufacturing landscape.