Intel Updates Its Next-Gen Chip Production & Process Node Progress In Latest Earnings Call
The first product that Intel’s CEO highlighted is 14th Gen Meteor Lake family for desktops and laptops. Based on the Intel 4 process node, the next-gen client CPU is on road to high-volume manufacturing and the first production stepping is expected to be taped out in Q4 2022. The second major product is the server-aimed Granite Rapids Xeon lineup which will utilize the “3” process node and the first stepping is already out of the Fab. Both Intel 4 and 3 process nodes deploy EUV which will mark a major leap in transistor performance per watt and density. Intel expects a volume ramp of Meteor Lake CPUs in 2023. Intel also states that their progress on the next-gen 20A and 18A process nodes which will benefit from the latest RibbonFET and PowerVia technology is going well. The first internal test chips are already in labs and there’s also a major “potential” customer whose next-gen product has been taped on the process. With 20A & 18A process nodes, Intel is expected to recapture its transistor performance and power performance leadership by 2025. Patrick Gelsinger, Intel CEO Intel’s Foundry Services or IFS has also welcomed NVIDIA to the RAMP-C program. Intel recently stated that they would be delighted to have AMD and NVIDIA chips made at their foundries and this could be one of the first stepping stones in making that a reality. Patrick Gelsinger, Intel CEO Talking specifically about the next generation of data centers and server products, Pat states that Emerald Rapids is on track for launch in 2023 and will be available alongside Sapphire Rapids chips on the same platform, allowing users to select from a diverse portfolio of scalable processor SKUs. Granite Rapids which is scheduled for 2024 is up and running multiple operating systems across a range of configurations. Sierra Forest, the all-E-Core design, is also mentioned which would deliver world-class performance per watt and is also on track for a 2024 launch. We expect 20A will primarily be an internal node, not one that we have a lot of external foundry customers for the external foundry chipset or tape-outs are largely associated with 18A. And a very typical process for a foundry customer will be “give me a test chip of my circuits on your process.” and that’s exactly what we take out. The first one this quarter. We’ll have several more in the pipeline. So now we’re taking out not only our test chips for 18A, but our foundry customer test chips for 18A, and that’s a pretty critical milestone when they see the results of the silicon for them making a volume decision for a foundry customer. Patrick Gelsinger, Intel CEO The summary of the earnings call is: Patrick Gelsinger, Intel CEO
Production Stepping of Meteor Lake (Intel 4) in Q4 2022, Volume Ramp in 2023 First Stepping of Granite Rapids (Intel 3) Out of Fab, Running OS across various SKUs Emerald Rapids on Track for Calendar 2023 Launch Intel Sierra Forest & Granite Rapids on Track for Calendar 2024 Launch First Intel 20A / 18A Test Chips (RibbonFET / PowerVia) running in labs Major Potential Customer has taped out silicon on 18A, running in fab NVIDIA joins the RAMP-C program, part of IFS (Intel Foundry Services)
Intel seems to finally get back in the ground and their financials now evening out. We can only expect things to get better from here as we enter 2023 and with the range of products that the blue team has prepped for the coming years.
