40nm GPUs Coming Soon

TGDaily reports Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp. (TSMC)will soon take the lead in chipset development when they roll out production processes for 40 nm graphics processor units (GPU). Although the development of 40 nm processing technology is fairly old news (we blogged about it in 40nm Processing Technology at TSMC), TGDaily offers a fairly interesting perspective. TGDaily writes:

Intel is proud of its dominant position in semiconductor in production technology and especially the fact that, for as long as we can remember, has led the industry in terms of the smallest chip structures. Its 45 nm technology is still at least one year ahead of AMD. But it appears that Intel will have to give up that lead next year, at least for a few months, when GPUs will make their transition to 40 nm.

This was bound to happen sooner or later. After speaking with several of our sources at ATI (AMD GPG) and Nvidia, we were told that a 40 nm GPU manufacturing process is on the way for first half of 2009. In fact, both companies are working on parts that should capture the spotlights at CeBit 2009 in Hannover. Both low-end and mainstream products are ready to be manufactured in 40 nm soon and should be on display at the tradeshow.

It appears that TSMC’s previously announced $10 billion investment in manufacturing technology is yielding results already, since the company is now able to develop 45 nm and 40 nm processes at the same time. The next step for TSMC is either 32 nm or 30 nm - or below. Samsung is investing heavily in 30 nm, but that is for DRAM only.

Intel has 32 nm CPUs still in development at its research, development and production facilities in Hillsboro, Oregon. 45 nm Nehalem CPUs will be the focus at the upcoming fall IDF, but it is generally expected that prototype 32 nm processors will be first shown at the company’s spring developer forum in H1 2009. Production of the chips should begin early in H2 2009, with volume shipments beginning in late Q3 or early Q4. First chips should surface in commercial products in late 2009, while 32 nm will be a 2010 topic for the mainstream buyer.

However, by that time, millions of 40 nm GPUs will have shipped already and you can bet the farm on the fact that both AMD and Nvidia will be pitching that story to the media in the same way Intel did in previous years.

Its good to see a Taiwanese company taking the lead for a change. Although Intel will catch up soon, it shows Taiwanese companies are as innovative and competitive as ever. TGDaily sums it up best:

Kudos to TSMC for developing the 45 nm and 40 nm half-node die-shrink at the same time.

TGDaily: Intel to lose its lead in chip manufacturing tech in 2009, sort of