Dimensity 9300: Triumph in 3nm, 2024 Mass Production
On September 7, 2023, MediaTek, a prominent player in smartphone chip manufacturing, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), a leading semiconductor foundry, jointly announced a significant milestone in the development of MediaTek's flagship Dimensity chipset. This milestone marks the successful utilization of TSMC's advanced 3-nanometer manufacturing process, with tape-out completed and mass production scheduled for the coming year.
MediaTek and TSMC have fostered a longstanding and deeply strategic partnership, leveraging their respective expertise in chip design and manufacturing. Together, they have focused on creating high-performance, energy-efficient flagship chips that empower electronic devices worldwide.
Chen Guanzhou, General Manager of MediaTek, shared his perspective, stating, "MediaTek's strategy for global flagship market expansion revolves around leveraging cutting-edge technologies to deliver innovative tech products that enhance the lives of consumers. TSMC's unwavering commitment to quality and stable manufacturing capabilities allows MediaTek to showcase its outstanding chip designs fully. We remain dedicated to providing global customers with top-tier chip solutions, characterized by superior performance, energy efficiency, and consistent quality, ensuring an unparalleled user experience within the flagship market."
Dr. Hou Yongqing, Senior Vice President of TSMC's Eurasia Business and Technology Research, expressed, "Over the years, TSMC and MediaTek have closely collaborated, introducing numerous groundbreaking innovations to the market. We are honored to continue our partnership, extending into the realm of 3-nanometer and more advanced technologies. Through our collaboration on the Dimensity flagship chipset, TSMC and MediaTek aim to bring the pinnacle of semiconductor process technology to mobile devices, enabling users worldwide to enjoy exceptional experiences."
TSMC's 3-nanometer process technology delivers comprehensive support for high-performance computing and mobile applications, enhancing performance, power efficiency, and yield. In comparison to the 5-nanometer process, TSMC's 3-nanometer technology offers a remarkable 60% increase in logic density, an 18% speed boost at the same power consumption level, or a 32% reduction in power consumption at the same speed.
MediaTek consistently relies on industry-leading process technology to develop its Dimensity flagship chipsets, addressing the evolving demands of users across mobile computing, high-speed connectivity, artificial intelligence, and multimedia entertainment. MediaTek's first Dimensity flagship chipset manufactured using TSMC's 3-nanometer process is slated for release in the latter half of 2024. This milestone will empower next-generation electronic devices and usher in a new era of user experiences.
The next-generation Dimensity flagship chipset, referenced by MediaTek, is widely speculated to be the Dimensity 9300. Prior leaks suggest that the Dimensity 9300 will feature a configuration consisting of four Cortex-X4 cores and four Cortex-A720 cores. However, for enhanced power management, only one Cortex-X4 core will operate at a high frequency, while the remaining three Cortex-X4 cores and four Cortex-A720 cores will run at slightly lower frequencies. This balanced configuration aims to optimize power efficiency and overall performance.
According to data provided by ARM, the Cortex-X4 exhibits a 15% performance improvement compared to the Cortex-X3, while the new high-efficiency microarchitecture, based on the same process technology, achieves a remarkable 40% reduction in power consumption. Furthermore, the A720 big cores demonstrate a 20% increase in energy efficiency, and the A520 small cores show a notable 22% improvement in energy efficiency.
