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We all believe next-gen consoles will be 7nm, but will they?

Racer!

Member
https://www.pcgamesn.com/tsmc-5nm-chip-wafer-production-2020

AMD and Nvidia’s go-to CPU/GPU foundry preps 5nm for 2020 volume production

TSMC, semiconductor manufacturer to the stars, is taping out its first 5nm chip design in the first half of 2019. Production is set to spool up not long after, with the fabrication giant in charge of producing most of AMD and Nvidia’s CPUs and GPUs set to shift its EUV-augmented 5nm process into overdrive in 2020.

All applications that are using 7nm today will adopt 5nm



If next gen consoles debuts in 2020/2021, could it be that they are primarily design to be at 5 nm?

They may debut on 7 nm, but if 5 nm in volume production comes online in 2020, could it be that Microsoft/Sony will be putting more power in next gen than rumors might suggest?

(By producing a large 7 nm SOC/APU, heavily subsidised while being on 7 nm, first 6-12 months or so)
 
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Shin

Banned
I believe risk production starts this year for 5nm while 7nm+ or 7nm with EUV as it actually is will begin sampling this year as well.
5nm can't be ready, yet it will be easier to switch to (that's what TSMC said a year ago I believe or news around the world), but much easier than that will be 7nm --> 7nm EUV.
Just not in time for the new consoles as production will probably start this year to or early next year to get volumes up.
 

Racer!

Member
I believe risk production starts this year for 5nm while 7nm+ or 7nm with EUV as it actually is will begin sampling this year as well.
5nm can't be ready, yet it will be easier to switch to (that's what TSMC said a year ago I believe or news around the world), but much easier than that will be 7nm --> 7nm EUV.
Just not in time for the new consoles as production will probably start this year to or early next year to get volumes up.

Yes sounds about right. But the possibility of putting more transistors in there would be higher I think if we get a node shrink as soon as 6-12 months in.
 

Shin

Banned
Well that's the thing, 5nm, the GPU after Navi, Zen 3 and it goes on and on.
Gotta launch sometime and that sometime probably is set when R*D does for the next system.
At the same time 5 and 3nm opens the path for mid-gen refreshes, so 10nm or what have you for the base models would be the same as 2013 IMO.
 
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THE:MILKMAN

Member
They'll be 7nm IMO. These console APUs get taped out/design complete ~2 years before they launch. Also Zen 2 was publicly announced design complete in January 2018 so probably late 2017 in reality and isn't out until later this year for example.

5nm for the mid-gen upgrades and/or slims in late 2022 or so.
 
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