TSMC to Secure Intel 3nm PC Processor Orders

According to industry insiders, TSMC has secured orders from Intel for its upcoming 3nm laptop processor series, with wafer production already commenced.

Intel is set to transition to its new laptop processor platform in the second half of this year. Sources indicate that the Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake series will be launched in late Q3 and Q4 respectively.

The appeal of Intel's new laptop chips lies in their use of TSMC's 3nm process technology, marking Intel's first collaboration with TSMC for module manufacturing. Production has recently begun at TSMC's dedicated foundries, with volume expected to increase by early 2025.

To meet demand, TSMC plans to convert some 5nm equipment to support 3nm production, potentially increasing monthly capacity to between 120,000 to 180,000 wafers. However, industry analysts have not fully assessed Intel's capacity needs for the Lunar Lake processors. While the impact on consumer product pricing remains uncertain due to potential 3nm supply disruptions, these developments suggest such a possibility.

Previous reports indicate TSMC's 3nm capacity is fully allocated to clients like Apple and NVIDIA, leading to anticipated supply constraints until 2026. Consequently, TSMC's 3nm foundry prices are expected to rise by over 5%.