Intel's highly anticipated 18A process is under uncertainty right now, as a new rumor claims that HVM is pushed ahead into next year, following poor yield rates.
Intel Won't Proceed With Subpar 18A Yields for High-Volume Manufacturing, Aiming Instead for Near-Perfect Output
Well, things aren't turning out the way they should for Team Blue right now. More importantly, with all the political and economic turmoil, the company is facing uncertainty about the future of its foundry division right now. Now, according to a new report by Hankyung, internal sources within Intel say that the 18A process could get pushed into 2026, as the current yield rates make mass production unviable for the company, but there's a twist with the rumor.
Intel's original plan was to mass-produce its laptop CPU, "Panther Lake," using the 18A process around the end of the year and then attract external customers. However, there are rumors both inside and outside of Intel that the full-scale production of the 18A process has been pushed back to 2026 due to low yields.
While the news might seem a bit disappointing, it actually isn't when you look at the broader spectrum. According to our discussions with the company, Intel never had plans for HVM of the 18A node by Q4 2025; instead, the firm intended to scale up PTL production by the first quarter of 2026, so the report does align with that. However, the one interesting element here is that CEO Lip-Bu Tan isn't ready for mass production on sub-par yield rates, despite them being reported to be around 55%- 65%.
Intel has often opted for low yield rates for HVM stages, which has not only led to operating losses but also a poor end product. Given that the firm is prepping for 18A, which comes with higher yield rates, there's a better chance of competing externally and internally. Since Intel's key objective is to reduce operating losses and improve shareholder value, developing a process that competes with TSMC would position them much better for an economic rebound.
For now, the uncertainty around Intel's plans, specifically for the foundry division, remains, but under all the negativity, the firm is actually striving for a breakthrough by adopting vigorous standards and actions, such as the widespread layoffs.
About the author: Muhammad Zuhair is a hardware and technology reporter for Wccftech, specializing in the semiconductor industry and the complex interplay between technology, manufacturing, and geopolitics. His coverage focuses on the corporate strategies and technological roadmaps of industry giants like TSMC, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Intel. Zuhair's expertise lies in deconstructing complex topics such as fabrication nodes (e.g., 2nm process), the economic impact of policies like the CHIPS Act, and the strategic development of AI infrastructure from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel.
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