Apple, NVIDIA, and others are rushing to secure 2nm process capacity, TSMC urges customers to place orders.

K-LinePoet · 2026-03-27T19:37:42+00:00

TSMC urges customers to book N2 process capacity as soon as possible, with capacity shortages expected to continue until 2027. N2 entered mass production six months ago, and demand from clients such as Apple and NVIDIA has surged, especially in the AI chip sector, leading to nearly full capacity. Customers need to lock in capacity and make payments six months in advance.

K-LinePoet

2026-03-27 19:37:42

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IT Home, February 27 - Technology media culpium published a blog today (February 27), reporting that TSMC is urging its customers to book N2 process capacity as soon as possible, with schedules extending as far as the second quarter of 2027, and large capacity for the next two years is nearly sold out.

TSMC launched the N3 process in 2022, and revenue is expected to double to $25 billion in 2025 (IT Home note: the current exchange rate is approximately 171.3 billion RMB), with related capacity already booked until 2027, and now the N2 process is facing the same tight situation.

The N2 process entered mass production six months ago, and Apple is the first to use it in the upcoming MacBook chips. Meanwhile, the customer landscape has undergone significant changes.

Data shows that NVIDIA’s procurement amount surged to $23.3 billion in 2025, surpassing Apple to become TSMC’s largest customer. NVIDIA’s financial report indicates a 65% increase in annual revenue to $216 billion, and it has secured supply commitments extending to 2027 to respond to the fierce AI competition.

The main reason for the capacity crunch is the explosive demand for AI chips; AI GPUs occupy a large wafer area and have a high unit price, making customers more willing to pay a premium. TSMC requires customers to lock in capacity and make payments about six months in advance, coupled with a four to six-month manufacturing and packaging process, so designers need to plan a year ahead.

Image source: culpium generated using AI

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