[News] Samsung’s 3nm Yield Reportedly Stuck at 50%, Far Behind TSMC’s 90%

While Samsung is gaining traction at mature nodes like 7nm and 8nm—with orders reportedly from Nintendo—it continues to struggle at the advanced 3nm level. According to South Korean media outlet Chosun Biz, even after three years of mass production, its 3nm yields remain at just 50%.

This has made it harder for Samsung to win big tech’s trust, with Chosun Biz reporting that Google’s Tensor G5 is shifting to TSMC’s 3nm, moving away from Samsung. As highlighted by 9to5Google, the search engine giant has reportedly locked in Tensor chip production with TSMC for the next 3 to 5 years, covering Pixel models through at least the Pixel 14.

Chosun Biz reports that Google isn’t alone—Qualcomm and AMD are also leaning on TSMC, drawn by its solid 90%+ yield at 3nm. The report notes that Apple (M5), Qualcomm (Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 2), NVIDIA (Rubin), and MediaTek (Dimensity 9500) are expected to use TSMC’s third-generation 3nm (N3P) process, with plans to shift to 2nm starting in 2026.

Meanwhile, as per JoongAng Ilbo, Samsung’s 3nm production remains in-house at the moment, with the upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 7—launching this July—set to feature the Exynos 2500. The chip, designed by Samsung’s System LSI division, is expected to be built on its own 3nm node, the report adds.

But JoongAng Ilbo sees this less as praise for Samsung’s 3nm tech and more as a cost-cutting move. With the Galaxy S25 lineup relying on Qualcomm chips, Samsung’s mobile AP costs reportedly soared 37% to 4.79 trillion won in Q1 2025. Using its own chips helps Samsung rein in those rising expenses, according to the report.

On the other hand, Chosun Biz warns that in the 5nm and 7nm segments, China’s SMIC is also quietly gaining ground, winning key orders and increasing pressure on Samsung. According to NotebookCheck, Huawei’s new MateBook Pro is powered by the Kirin X90, a 5nm chip—likely made using SMIC’s cutting-edge N+3 process if confirmed.

Read more

• [News] Samsung Reportedly Scores Win Over TSMC with Nintendo Switch 2 Chip Deal
• [News] Samsung Reportedly Nears Securing Major 2nm Orders from NVIDIA, Qualcomm as Yields Improve

(Photo credit: Samsung)