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Best Semiconductors & chip manufacturing videos, as recommended on Hacker News

41 videos about semiconductors & chip manufacturing that Hacker News commenters keep recommending, mentioned between 2010 and 2026. Mostly talk, explainer, documentary. Channels that come up most: Asianometry, Branch Education, Lex Fridman, Veritasium. Sorted by how consistently HN recommended them over the years.

The most recommended is Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips: HN repeatedly calls it the best in-depth introduction to IC manufacturing, a sense-of-awe talk by an independent engineer, while wishing for an updated version.

• talkIndistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer ChipsAndor Gafotas · 19 HN recommenders · 2016–2024
• explainerThe Extreme Engineering of ASML’s EUV Light SourceAsianometry · 11 HN recommenders · 2022–2025
• interviewJim Keller: Moore's Law, Microprocessors, and First Principles | Lex Fridman Podcast #70Lex Fridman · 8 HN recommenders · 2020–2023
• talkJim Keller: Moore’s Law is Not DeadUC Berkeley EECS · 7 HN recommenders · 2019–2025
• documentaryWhy It Was Almost Impossible to Make the Blue LEDVeritasium · 10 HN recommenders · 2024–2026
• talk38C3 - From Silicon to Sovereignty: How Advanced Chips are Redefining Global Dominancemedia.ccc.de · 5 HN recommenders · 2025–2026
• documentaryThe man who almost faked his way to a Nobel PrizeBobbyBroccoli · 6 HN recommenders · 2022–2023
• talkAWS re:Invent 2016: Tuesday Night Live with James HamiltonAmazon Web Services · 5 HN recommenders · 2016–2023
• explainerHow does Computer Memory Work? 💻🛠Branch Education · 5 HN recommenders · 2022–2023
• demo"Z2" - Upgraded Homemade Silicon ChipsSam Zeloof · 4 HN recommenders · 2021–2026
• documentaryThe Extreme Physics Pushing Moore’s Law to the Next LevelSeeker · 5 HN recommenders · 2019–2023
• tutorialBuilding a 6800 CPU on an FPGA with nMigen (part 1)Robert Baruch · 3 HN recommenders · 2020–2021
• explainerThe $200M Machine that Prints Microchips: The EUV Photolithography SystemBranch Education · 3 HN recommenders · 2025–2026
• explainerHow a transistor worksBen Eater · 4 HN recommenders · 2020–2023
• talk36C3 - Open Source is Insufficient to Solve Trust Problems in Hardwaremedia.ccc.de · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2023
• talkDefcon 21 - Decapping Chips The Strike Easy Hard WayHackersOnBoard · 3 HN recommenders · 2014–2025
• interview[7] Jim Keller, Silicon Wizard 🧙‍♂️TechTechPotato · 3 HN recommenders · 2022–2023
• explainerThe Closest Thing We Have to Alien TechnologyVeritasium · 5 HN recommenders · 2026–2026
• talk27c3: Reverse Engineering the MOS 6502 CPU (en)Christiaan008 · 2 HN recommenders · 2014–2021
• documentaryWhy The World Relies On ASML For Machines That Print ChipsCNBC · 4 HN recommenders · 2022–2024
• interviewMorris Chang, in conversation with Jen-Hsun HuangComputer History Museum · 3 HN recommenders · 2012–2023
• demoEtching small patterns in GlassHuygens Optics · 4 HN recommenders · 2021–2024
• documentaryBirth of The Transistor: A video history of Japan's electronic industry. (Part 1)RC286 · 3 HN recommenders · 2018–2022
• tutorialHomebrew NMOS Transistor Step by Step - So Easy Even Jeri Can Do ItJeri Ellsworth · 3 HN recommenders · 2010–2023
• demoHomemade Transistor DemonstrationJeri Ellsworth · 2 HN recommenders · 2013–2021
• lectureStanford Seminar - Generalized Reversible Computing and the Unconventional Computing LandscapeStanford Online · 2 HN recommenders · 2020–2021
• explainerWhere The Real Chip Shortage IsAsianometry · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2023
• talkSophie Wilson - The Future of MicroprocessorsErlang Solutions · 2 HN recommenders · 2016–2018
• talkReading Silicon: How to Reverse Engineer Integrated CircuitsHACKADAY · 2 HN recommenders · 2018–2021
• documentaryHow Semiconductors Ruined East GermanyAsianometry · 2 HN recommenders · 2023–2024
• explainerChina's 7nm Chips: SMIC N+2Asianometry · 2 HN recommenders · 2022–2024
• explainerHow are Microchips Made? 🖥️🛠️ CPU Manufacturing Process StepsBranch Education · 2 HN recommenders · 2024–2025
• explainerIndia's Semiconductor FailureAsianometry · 2 HN recommenders · 2021–2025
• demoUnveiling High NA EUV | ASMLASML · 1 HN recommender · 2024–2025
• demo14nm and 7nm are NOT what you think it is - Visiting Tescan Part 3/3der8auer · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2021
• talk[FOSSi Dial-Up] Tim Ansell - Skywater PDK: Fully open source manufacturable PDK for a 130nm processFOSSi Foundation · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2024
• tutorialAntique 4x5 camera creates 20 micron photolithography masks: Super tiny tax formApplied Science · 1 HN recommender · 2020–2025
• explainerHow Japan Learned SemiconductorsAsianometry · 1 HN recommender · 2022–2023
• interviewMoore's Law is Not Dead (Jim Keller) | AI Podcast ClipsLex Fridman · 1 HN recommender · 2021–2025
• talkChange w/ Jim KellerTenstorrent · 1 HN recommender · 2023–2023
• talkExperiences Building Edge TPU with ChiselChisel · 1 HN recommender · 2019–2025