TSMC ready to start production of 5nm chips

TSMC is on track to start the mass production of the new 5nm-based chips. According to the those familiar with the matter, the production will start in April, which meets the company's plans to start mass production of the 5nm chips in the first half of this year.

The company has worked on the 5nm manufacturing process for several years now and it's the second one to use the ULV (ultraviolet lithography process) technology. The 7nm+ process was the first one and it has been used on the latest flagship SoCs.

We all know the benefits of the smaller node - increased transistor density and reduced power consumption. It's going to be used in PC hardware and in mobile devices. In fact, TSMC says the capacity of the fab is already full and can't take any more orders. As per analysts, this new production line will account for around 10% of the company's revenue this year.

And as far as the matured 7nm node goes, TSMC will continue to improve on that one for better yields and eventually make it more widely available for the mid-range consumer.