IBS analysts say TSMC's 2nm wafers for chip production could cost $30,000 apiece – 50% higher than the cost of 3nm wafers, which cost about $20,000. The biggest price increase is expected by Apple, which is the first to I ordered a 2 nm processor. Let us remind you that TSMC plans to introduce them in 2025.
The most powerful chip customer according to 2023 data, NVIDIA sells artificial intelligence processors based on TSMC's 5nm process technology. It's likely that NVIDIA will look for 3nm manufacturing opportunities while Apple gets 2nm chips.
In turn, TSMC will not rush to expand capacity, remembering the crisis of excess production that befell the market in 2022 – a shortage is always better for a manufacturer than a surplus. And of course, even if expansion occurs, the costs will be passed on to customers. This in turn will lead to shortages if NVIDIA and others want to move to new technologies. Eventually, green AI-related products will also increase in price.
In other words, ordinary smartphone buyers, in particular Apple, should prepare for high prices in the coming years as companies master new technological processes, the same applies to users of AI computers and other chips. The era of low-cost semiconductors is over and will not come again soon.
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