Production of the PlayStation 5 may not be as far off as expected, judging from a report released by a chip manufacturer. The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company says they're ramping up production of a new chip used for gaming applications, leading tech-minded consumers to speculate about Sony's progress in developing a next-gen processor for the PS5.

While it might initially seem a stretch to connect the chip manufacturer's report to the PlayStation 5, rumors hold that Sony's next home console would use both an AMD graphics processor and CPU, not exactly a shock to anyone familiar with the PS4's architecture. The reason that's significant is because the next generation of AMD's GPUs and CPUs will demand the extra grunt of the 7nm chips, which have now officially entered high volume production.

"More than 50 products tape-outs has been planned by end of this year from applications across mobile, server CPU, network processor, gaming, GPU, PGA, cryptocurrency, automotive and AI. Our 7nm is already in volume production," said the president of TSMC in a recent financial conference call. The mention of gaming as a factor in their decision to increase production could suggest that Sony is the big buyer responsible.

With reports circulating about the PS5's potential release window, plus a rumor that dev kits are already in the hands of developers, gamers holding their breath for Sony's next big console can breathe a sigh of relief. Although nothing concrete has surfaced thus far, the consistency of reliable reports is reassuring. Still, conflicting reports about the PS5's release window range from as early as 2018 to as late as 2020. Considering that the PS5's base architecture is expected to use AMD's Navi GPU, which won't be shipping until later this year, 2018 may be a tad optimistic.

With a host of blockbuster exclusives on its roster, plus the success of the PS4 Pro, Sony is well positioned to take their time with developing the PlayStation 5. With rumors that the successor to the Xbox One could be releasing within the next 3 years, it could be a race to the finish as to which manufacturer will first introduce the world to the new generation of console gaming.

Source: PSU