SMIC N+3 Confirmed: Kirin 9030 Analysis Reveals How Close SMIC Is to 5nm

TechInsights has completed an exploratory teardown and process analysis of the Huawei Kirin 9030 application processor used in the new Mate 80 Pro Max. Our structural and dimensional analysis confirms that the chip is manufactured using SMIC’s N+3 process, a scaled evolution of its 7nm-class technology, and a key indicator of how close SMIC is to achieving a true 5nm-equivalent node without EUV lithography.

Why the Kirin 9030 Analysis Matters

For months, industry observers have speculated whether Huawei’s latest flagship processor was built on a 5nm, 6nm, or an enhanced N+2 process. With no official SMIC roadmap citing such nodes, the Kirin 9030 became the most important data point for evaluating China’s advanced manufacturing capabilities.

TechInsights’ detailed measurements provide the definitive answer. Our analysis reveals:

• How SMIC scaled beyond the N+2 (7nm) process
• Where N+3 diverges from industry 5nm implementations
• What the results imply for DUV-only manufacturing limits

Competitive Positioning

While SMIC’s N+3 process shows meaningful density improvements, our comparative measurements confirm it remains significantly less scaled than leading commercial 5nm nodes offered by TSMC and Samsung. Full competitive metrics—including gate density comparisons—are available exclusively on the TechInsights Platform.

Access the Complete Technical Analysis

The complete Kirin 9030 process analysis includes:

• Detailed structural and dimensional process measurements
• Cross-sectional imaging and SEM topography
• Comparative density analysis vs. TSMC and Samsung
• Manufacturing complexity insights and yield implications
• Gate density benchmarks across major industry nodes