Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) and Samsung Electronics are engaged in intense competition over 2-nanometer process technology. TSMC has announced that its 2nm process wafers will be supplied at a fixed high price of $30,000 per wafer, targeting AI and high-performance computing (HPC) premium customers as part of its "high-end alliance" strategy. Meanwhile, Samsung is competing for market share through lower pricing and faster delivery, recently securing a 23 trillion won Tesla AI chip order.
In terms of development strategy, TSMC is primarily targeting the high-end AI and high-performance computing markets. Its most advanced 2nm process wafers are priced at $30,000 per wafer (approximately 216,000 yuan at current exchange rates), implementing a uniform high-price policy for all customers. This represents an increase of approximately 50% to 66% compared to current 3nm process pricing. TSMC is leveraging its technological and capacity advantages to drive a "high-price alliance" strategy in the premium market, with target customers including industry leaders in AI and high-performance computing such as Apple, NVIDIA, and AMD.
Regarding capacity planning, TSMC plans to complete trial production within the next 34 months, achieving monthly production capacity of 60,000 wafers across four facilities by 2026. Initial 2nm process yield rates are approximately 60-65%, with SRAM memory cell yields exceeding 90%. Industry reports indicate that TSMC's 2nm mass production faces no major technical obstacles, establishing a solid foundation for subsequent large-scale shipments.
From a technical perspective, the 2nm process can achieve 10-15% performance improvements at the same power consumption, or reduce power consumption by 20-30% at the same performance level. This is highly attractive for industries requiring both computational power and energy efficiency, such as AI servers and mobile terminals. The high yield rates and leading performance position TSMC's 2nm process favorably in market competition.
Simultaneously, Samsung's foundry business is attracting customers through lower pricing and accelerated delivery speeds. Currently, Samsung's 2nm yield rate is approximately 40%, still in the ramp-up phase. Samsung is actively attracting new customers by offering lower prices and more flexible supply arrangements. Samsung recently secured Tesla's AI6 chip order, attempting to restore market confidence in its foundry business through competitive pricing and delivery speed.
Industry experts note that competition in the 2nm era will no longer be limited to technology alone, but will involve multiple factors including pricing, delivery speed, and long-term partnerships. TSMC's high-price, high-quality strategy strengthens major customer loyalty, while Samsung competes for new customers through cost-effectiveness, creating an increasingly distinct differentiated competitive landscape.