Highlights
- Qualcomm and MediaTek to adopt TSMC’s N2P 2nm process
- Apple secures most of the initial N2 capacity for its A20 chips
- N2P offers 5% performance boost and higher CPU clock speeds
- Reported by automobile and tech blogger Sujit Ram
New details have surfaced about the upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Dimensity 9600 processors, which will power next-generation flagship smartphones. According to reports, both Qualcomm and MediaTek are expected to use TSMC’s improved N2P 2nm process instead of the original N2 process.
Apple’s Early Move
TSMC’s 2nm generation includes two versions: the initial N2 and the enhanced N2P. Apple has already secured more than half of the N2 production capacity for its upcoming A20 and A20 Pro chips, leaving limited supply for other companies. This situation likely pushed Qualcomm and MediaTek to choose N2P to ensure a stable supply.
Performance Gains with N2P
The decision is not only about supply. N2P offers around 5% better performance compared to N2, while keeping the same design rules, making the transition easier. Even a small improvement in CPU clock speeds can boost single-core and multi-core performance, helping Android chips compete more closely with Apple’s A20 series.
Closing the Efficiency Gap
Currently, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 and Apple A19 Pro both use TSMC’s 3nm N3P process. Benchmarks show Apple has an edge in power efficiency, thanks to its focus on high-efficiency cores. With the move to 2nm N2P, Qualcomm and MediaTek aim to reduce this efficiency gap, offering better performance without significantly increasing power consumption.
Memory and Storage Advantages
Reports also suggest that both Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 6 and Dimensity 9600 may support LPDDR6 memory and UFS 5.0 storage. These upgrades would deliver faster bandwidth and data transfer speeds, potentially giving Android devices an edge over Apple’s A20 series in certain performance areas.
What’s Next
At this stage, all information remains rumors, and actual performance will only be confirmed after official product announcements. Still, the adoption of N2P highlights how competitive the 2nm generation will be. As Sujit Ram notes, the battle between Apple and Android chipmakers is set to intensify, and future updates will be closely watched by the tech industry.