Samsung's 3nm GAA process, while launching earlier than TSMC's 3nm N3B variant, is facing significant yield challenges. Reports suggest the foundry had an initial yield target of 70% for both its first and second-generation 3nm GAA nodes, but it has yet to achieve this goal.
According to information from yeux1122's blog, citing domestic articles, Samsung's first-generation 3nm process (SF3E-3GAE) currently has yields between 50-60%, closer to the initial target but still not high enough to attract significant customer orders. The lower yields reportedly contributed to Samsung losing Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite orders to TSMC.
The situation is even more challenging for Samsung's second-generation 3nm process, with yields reportedly at a dismal 20%, less than one-third of the initial target. This has led even South Korean companies to switch to TSMC's more mature nodes.
These yield struggles with 3nm GAA may explain why Samsung is reportedly shifting resources and focus towards its 2nm node. An upcoming Exynos chipset, codenamed "Ulysses," is rumored to be in development on the SF2P 2nm process, potentially debuting in a Galaxy S27 model in 2027.
Source: yeux1122
