News Intel announces cancellation of 20A process node for Arrow Lake, goes with external nodes instead, likely TSMC [Updated]

[Admin]

Intel announced today that it no longer plans to use its own 20A process node with its upcoming Arrow Lake processors. Instead, it will use external nodes for all of the compute tiles, and then package the chips together.

Intel announces cancellation of 20A process node for Arrow Lake, goes with external nodes instead, likely TSMC [Updated] : Read more

 

[ottonis]

So, why did Intel even bother developing and spending so much money on the 20A process node, when they have already come so far with the more advanced 18A process? Just a couple of days ago it was reported that the 18A process node is doing remarkably well and has low defect rates, considering its development stage.

 

[Murissokah]

Disappointing to see Intel abandon a process amid so many bad news, but it's probably for the best. Using a proven TSMC process will likely yield a better product in short term and allow them to focus on 18A. Considering Gelsinger himself said he "bet the whole company on 18A", they really should focus on that.

 

[bolweval]

So, why did Intel even bother developing and spending so much money on the 20A process node, when they have already come so far with the more advanced 18A process? Just a couple of days ago it was reported that the 18A process node is doing remarkably well and has low defect rates, considering its development stage.

From the article.

"However, Intel's 20A served as a vehicle for several new advances, like  RibbonFet Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology, which is Intel’s first new transistor design since FinFET arrived in 2011. It also marked the debut of the company's  PowerVia backside power delivery tech, which routes power for the transistors through the backside of the processor die.

Intel says the learnings it gained from its 20A node have contributed to the success of its 18A node, which makes sense given that 18A is a tighter refinement of the technologies invented for 20A."

 

[ottonis]

Thank you. While Intel's argument makes sense to a certain degree, developing an entire process node the sole purpose of which is to serve as a platform for learning and developing is probably not the most economical way of doing things. So, I sense that Intel management is using this - at least in part - as an excuse for the platform failure.

 

[NinoPino]

From the article.

"However, Intel's 20A served as a vehicle for several new advances, like  RibbonFet Gate-All-Around (GAA) technology, which is Intel’s first new transistor design since FinFET arrived in 2011. It also marked the debut of the company's  PowerVia backside power delivery tech, which routes power for the transistors through the backside of the processor die.

Intel says the learnings it gained from its 20A node have contributed to the success of its 18A node, which makes sense given that 18A is a tighter refinement of the technologies invented for 20A."

Nobody spend billions on a process node only to use the knowhow on another process node. If they spent so much money on 20A is because they wanted to use it to produce a big amount of chips. Also the article's consideration that they abandon the 20A because there are no products to justify the expense is a bit wobby. If this is the real motivation to give up on 20A, than this imply a very bad management that did a wrong business plan.