At its North America Technology Symposium this week, TSMC pulled back the curtain on what’s next for chipmaking and it’s looking insanely powerful. The company teased its upcoming A14 process node (no, not that A14 chip), which will bring 1.4nm chips to life starting in 2028.
That’s not a typo. We’re talking about 1.4 nanometers—smaller than ever, and potentially powering future generations of Apple silicon.
What’s the Big Deal?
TSMC says the A14 node will deliver up to 15% better performance at the same power, or up to 30% power savings at the same performance, compared to its upcoming 2nm (N2) node. On top of that, we’re looking at over 20% more logic density, which basically means more transistors packed into the same space. Summed up; smarter, faster chips.
They’re also introducing a next-gen design system called NanoFlex Pro to give chip designers more room to play with performance and efficiency. Sounds technical, but for Apple fans, this likely means future iPhones and Macs getting even faster and more battery efficient.
Our customers constantly look to the future, and TSMC’s technology leadership and manufacturing excellence provides them with a dependable roadmap for their innovations,” said TSMC Chairman and CEO Dr. C.C. Wei. “TSMC’s cutting-edge logic technologies like A14 are part of a comprehensive suite of solutions that connect the physical and digital worlds to unleash our customers’ innovation for advancing the AI future.”
So, When Will We See This in Action?
TSMC hasn’t named names, but Apple has a well-documented history of being first in line for TSMC’s latest silicon. The A14 process likely won’t show up in Apple devices until the tail end of the decade, maybe in an A24 chip for iPhone or a beefed-up M7 or M8 for Macs?
For now, Apple is sticking with TSMC’s 3nm tech in the upcoming iPhone 17 and next-gen M5 chips. The jump to 2nm is expected with the iPhone 18 and Apple’s A20 chip in 2026. Until then, the real bleeding-edge stuff is still baking.
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