Samsung confirms 20nm and 14nm chipsets for 2013

Samsung has confirmed that it will be investing $1.9 billion in next-gen chip production, which it claims will yield chips based on 20nm and 14nm process nodes by 2013.

At present Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors are about at high-end as it gets being based on a 22nm process. Of course these are put to use inside desktop PCs and laptops. In the context of mobile it is Qualcomm leading the way with its 28nm S4 Snapdragon.

However Samsung looks set to usurp Qualcomm in the coming year with the creation of chipsets based on 20nm and 14nm process nodes – the power efficiencies of which will no doubt be astounding.

Samsung’s latest chipset, known as the Exynos 4 Quad, is based on a 32nm process and, whilst being eminently powerful, will no doubt pale in comparison to the Moore’s Law-defying 20 and 14nm chipsets Samsung has planned for 2013.

Mr. Stephen Woo, president of Samsung Electronics' System LSI Business, said: ‘With the construction of our new System LSI fabrication line, Samsung will be able to respond to the demand of the global IT industry and strengthen our ability to support our customers' requirements even further.’

Global demand for mobile processor chipsets is expected to grow more than 20 per cent between 2011 and 2016 from $23.4 billion to $59.4 billion, according to Gartner.

It will be interesting to see what Qualcomm’s plans are for 2013-14 in light of this report. We’ve put the question to Qualcomm and are awaiting its response.