Samsung has been navigating the challenges associated with its 3nm GAA (Gate-All-Around) technology, competing closely with TSMC to deliver cutting-edge semiconductor solutions. Despite launching its 3nm GAA process before TSMC’s N3B variant, Samsung has struggled with yield issues that have prevented it from enticing new customers to its platform.
Inside sources suggest that Samsung aimed for a yield target of 70 percent for both its first and second-generation 3nm GAA nodes. Regrettably, actual performance has yet to meet this ambition. For the first iteration of the 3nm technology, known as SF3E-3GAE, Samsung managed to achieve yields between 50-60 percent, a figure still short of the 70 percent benchmark necessary to attract significant client orders.
The woes deepen with the second-generation 3nm process, where yields are reportedly languishing at a disappointing 20 percent — well below even one-third of the original target. This poor performance is causing companies like Qualcomm to favor TSMC’s more reliable 3nm N3E process. As a result, previously loyal South Korean firms are also pivoting toward TSMC’s more mature technology.
Samsung’s struggle with 3nm GAA could prompt a strategic pivot, potentially shifting focus toward its 2nm node development. There’s speculation about an Exynos chipset, codenamed ‘Ulysses,’ in the works on the upcoming SF2P technology, anticipated to appear in the Galaxy S27 series by 2027. This future innovation might offer Samsung a new path to regain its competitive edge in the semiconductor industry.
As Samsung seeks to turn the tide, its efforts in next-generation nodes could represent the company’s fostering of a new opportunity to reestablish itself as a leader in the semiconductor landscape.
