Samsung Foundry Renames 3 nm Process to 2 nm Amid Competition with Intel

[AleksandarK]

In a move that could intensify competition with Intel in the cutting-edge chip manufacturing space, Samsung Foundry has reportedly decided to rebrand its second-generation 3 nm-class fabrication technology, previously known as SF3, to a 2 nm-class manufacturing process called SF2. According to reports from ZDNet, the renaming of Samsung's SF3 to SF2 is likely an attempt by the South Korean tech giant to simplify its process nomenclature and better compete against Intel Foundry, at least visually. Intel is set to roll out its Intel 20A production node, a 2 nm-class technology, later this year. The reports suggest that Samsung has already notified its customers about the changes in its roadmap and the renaming of SF3 to SF2. Significantly, the company has reportedly gone as far as re-signing contracts with customers initially intended to use the SF3 production node.

"We were informed by Samsung Electronics that the 2nd generation 3 nm [name] is being changed to 2 nm," an unnamed source noted to ZDNet. "We had contracted Samsung Foundry for the 2nd generation 3 nm production last year, but we recently revised the contract to change the name to 2 nm." Despite the name change, Samsung's SF3, now called SF2, has not undergone any actual process technology alterations. This suggests that the renaming is primarily a marketing move, as using a different process technology would require customers to rework their chip designs entirely. Samsung intends to start manufacturing chips based on the newly named SF2 process in the second half of 2024. The SF2 technology, which employs gate-all-around (GAA) transistors that Samsung brands as Multi-Bridge-Channel Field Effect Transistors (MBCFET), does not feature a backside power delivery network (BSPDN), a significant advantage of Intel's 20A process. Samsung Foundry has not officially confirmed the renaming.



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[Daven]

Lol. And yet some here still try to compare nodes based on nanometers. I hope everyone keeps changing the names so no one can win any internet arguments anymore.

 

[Battler624]

Whats the point of names then?

 

[FoulOnWhite]

Samsung rep "sure cough it's cough 2nm"

 

[AleksandarK]

Whats the point of names then?

Names of semi nodes started to become obsolete since 1997. And that is older than me. No correlation between name and actual dimension. They have been a purely marketing strategy since.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

Names of semi nodes started to become obsolete since 1997. And that is older than me. No correlation between name and actual dimension. They have been a purely marketing strategy since.

I'm older than you and this type of thing has always gone on with technology. Most of what people think of a "specs" is often gibberish and voodoo but that doesn't stop "enthusiasts" from arguing over it.

 

[Deleted member 229121]

Pffft they think they can compete in the name game with Intel?
That's a hold my beer category for them

 

[wNotyarD]

Pffft they think they can compete in the name game with Intel?
That's a hold my beer category for them

Easier to compete with Intel in the naming game rather than the roadmap game.

 

[Daven]

Pffft they think they can compete in the name game with Intel?
That's a hold my beer category for them

I’m waiting for them to get names down into the Quantum RealmTM. I want my chips to fit in the space between the atoms.

 

[A Computer Guy]

Eagerly awaiting for the term "blast processing" to come back into fashion.

 

[wNotyarD]

Eagerly awaiting for the term "blast processing" to come back into fashion.

Samsung should be smart enough not to use "blast" with anything involving their hardware

 

[Denver]

What's the point? This only makes the process specs look worse compared to competing analogs(TSMC 2nm). It seems like something taken from the intel playbook... We know how well this is going.

 

[Eternit]

Maybe they all should start naming their technologies with versions or years like Intel node 2024. Samsung already does this with smartphones while Apple uses versions.

 

[phints]

These names are such a joke. Reminds me of "1ms" gaming monitors when the best IPS still refresh around 5ms and the best VA like 10ms not even counting the horrendous amount of overshoot they have at that speed.

 

[john_]

Well, I guess marketing justifies ridiculousness....

 

[qlum]

Well, I guess marketing justifies ridiculousness....

At first I thought it made no sense after all the consumers of those nodes know better. But for consumers saying your chip is a 3nm or a 2nm design does have value, even if the name carries no real value.

 

[Wirko]

I'll wait for the good man Charlie Demerjian to write Part 3 of his series. I guess he'll do it before my popcorn cools off.

Part 1

Part 2

 

[Fouquin]

Lol. And yet some here still try to compare nodes based on nanometers. I hope everyone keeps changing the names so no one can win any internet arguments anymore.

The best part of this, as I've mentioned in another thread, is that Intel changed their 5nm to 2nm to align with TSMC and Samsung's roadmaps that were boasting 4/3/2nm scale nodes. So now Samsung is changing their 3nm to 2nm in the face of Intel's 5nm that is now 2nm, but Samsung's 3nm was already only a minor process optimization of their 4nm which was itself just a tweak of 5nm which is what the actual new process is from 7nm LPP which was previously '8nm' process but now with EUV.

I don't mind them changing the name if they actually make an impact on density, like with their 3rd gen 7LPP the minimum cell density increased about 10%, but changing the names just so the number on the paper matches the competitor's number on their paper is a race to the bottom. Now you may as well just claim that your new process is at the atomic scale and uses planck-scale superconducting carbon nanotube wires extracted from the essence of unicorn horn.

 

[Wirko]

I'm older than you and this type of thing has always gone on with technology. Most of what people think of a "specs" is often gibberish and voodoo but that doesn't stop "enthusiasts" from arguing over it.

PMPO.

I mean, if you're old enough, you're familiar with this acronym and the amount of exaggeration associated with it. It was (well, still is) worse than any imaginary nanometers.

 

[AusWolf]

And I'll rename my idleness to hard work.

 

[starfals]

Why stop at 2 Samsung? Just go all the way down to 1 lol. It will look really advanced and good on paper. People that dont know anything will praise you for being the best. If you will lie, go full out or don't bother imho!

 

[LabRat 891]

Can I get whatever Reality Altering Device Intel and Samsung are using?

Because I'm totally 6ft 10in
for marketing purposes

 

[theouto]

Waiting for Samsung to publish their own "core truths" type slide deck against TSMC. Maybe call it "the scale of truth".

(Yes, I suck at naming things)

 

[wNotyarD]

Waiting for Samsung to publish their own "core truths" type slide deck against TSMC. Maybe call it "the scale of truth".

(Yes, I suck at naming things)

Is this your application for a job at Intel?

 

[theouto]

Is this your application for a job at Intel?

With how terrible my ability to name things is, I like my odds.