Intel's highly-anticipated 18A process will indeed make a dominant entry into the semiconductor markets as Team Blue announces volume production by H2 2025.
Intel's Panther Lake SoC Will Formally Be The First Set of Products To Adopt The 18A Process, Already In Sampling Stages
Intel Foundry hasn't been performing too well when it comes to seeing the adoption of its mainstream processes by industry clients, but the future looks bright for the division. Intel's 18A process, which is said to be a breakthrough for the company in terms of success in the semiconductor markets, has finally reached its mass-production stages, which will be initiated by H2 2025. Interestingly, Intel's interim co-CEO showcased a Panther Lake tile on the 18A process at the CES 2025 keynote, which will be the firm's "lead product" on the process.
Well, Intel's 18A node has a bit of a history, which is said to be more affiliated with former CEO Pat Gelsinger and his ambitions of turning IFS into a leading foundry in the upcoming years. However, with his retirement, not only did rumor surrounding a potential foundry division sell-off start to pop out, but things weren't looking too well for the 18A process as well, which was said to have encountered poor yield rates, disappointing mainstream clients like Broadcom. However, recent developments do indicate that things are on track.
In terms of where to expect Intel's 18A node to feature, the very first batch of products will likely be Intel's Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest CPUs, with the former one targeted at the mobile segment. Not only is this particular architecture said to come with top-class performance, but with architectural advancements, Intel plans on dominating the segment. Team Blue has already shipped out Panther Lake SoC samples to its partners, and it is expected that the SKUs will indeed drop by around H2 2025.
This was it for Intel Foundry and an update on the 18A process at the CES 2025 keynote. Initial impressions surely show that Intel is confident with the future of its foundry division, and once Panther Lake drops into the markets, we'll get a better look at what IFS has been cooking over the past few years.
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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