Foundry Advanced Process Nodes: TSMC / Samsung / Intel (July 2026)
Advanced process nodes from the big three foundries (TSMC, Samsung, Intel): mass-production timing, transistor architecture and representative use, ordered by year. Q4 2025 is where all three converge on the 2nm generation.
| Foundry | Node | Production | Transistor | Representative use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TSMC | N5 (5nm) | 2020 | FinFET (first EUV) | Apple A14 |
| Samsung | 5LPE | 2020 | FinFET | Exynos series |
| Intel | Intel 7 | 2021 | FinFET | Alder Lake |
| Samsung | 3nm GAA (3GAE) | 2022 | MBCFET (GAA) | HPC |
| TSMC | N3 / N3E | 2022–23 | FinFET (last gen) | Apple A17 Pro |
| Intel | Intel 4 | 2023 | FinFET (EUV) | Meteor Lake |
| Intel | Intel 3 | 2023–24 | FinFET | Xeon 6 |
| Intel | Intel 18A | 2025 | RibbonFET + PowerVia | Panther Lake |
| TSMC | N2 (2nm) | Q4 2025 | 1st-gen Nanosheet GAA | Apple A20 |
| Samsung | SF2 (2nm) | Q4 2025 | MBCFET (GAA) | Exynos 2600 |
| TSMC | A16 (1.6nm) | Q4 2026 (planned) | GAA + backside power | — |
| Intel | Intel 14A | 2027 (planned) | RibbonFET + PowerDirect | Tesla (confirmed) |
| TSMC | A14 (1.4nm) | H2 2028 (planned) | 2nd-gen GAA | — |
Method & sources
Node names, production years and architectures are from each foundry''s official technology pages and press releases (tsmc.com, Samsung Semiconductor, newsroom.intel.com); customers/uses are mostly from tech media (AnandTech, Tom''s Hardware, TrendForce, DigiTimes) citing official info, as official pages rarely name customers. ⚠ Each foundry''s "nm" is a marketing label, not an actual gate dimension; the same "nm" across foundries is not the same physical size, so no equivalence conversion is made — official node names are listed as-is. "(planned)" marks announced/expected timelines, not yet in mass production (A16/A14/14A, etc.). Intel 20A was cancelled for external production (test vehicle only) and is not listed. PPA figures like SF2''s vary slightly by official venue. Timelines change; refer to the latest official announcements.
Source: https://www.tsmc.com/english/dedicatedFoundry/technology/logic/l_2nm
Retrieved: 2026-07-26