Apple M3 MAX SoC Digital Floorplan Quick Look Analysis
Discover the advanced technology behind Apple's APL1204 application processor extracted from the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M3 MAX. Explore our in-depth analysis of its 64-bit 14-core design, 3 nm TSMC N3B process, and cutting-edge FinFET transistors.
The Apple APL1204 application processor was extracted from a 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 MAX. The 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro with M3 MAX can support the APL1204 64-bit 14-core processor [2]. The processor is composed of 10 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores with 36 GB of memory utilizing LPDDR5. The Apple TMQG40 die was manufactured on 300-mm wafers using TMSC N3B FINFLEX HKMG CMOS process with an 11-track library. The 3 nm process employs high-k metal gate (HKMG) FinFET transistors and a two-level contact, featuring contacts to transistor source/drain (S/D) (CT) and to metal gate (VG), as well as via contacts (VC) to CT/CG, and 19 metal levels, including 18 levels of copper (Cu). Our conclusions on how the process node in which the TMQG40 die was manufactured are based on findings of a contacted gate, logic fin, minimum metal pitches, and a comparison to the process features of previously analyzed devices.
