3 ms·
Leading edge processes are not where the shortage exists -- it's trailing process nodes that are used heavily for support chips and automotive. Support chips l
by bcrl 4y ago
Leading edge processes are not where the shortage exists -- it's trailing process nodes that are used heavily for support chips and automotive. Support chips like voltage regulators sure as hell don't need a 5nm or 7nm process, but they are critical components to any piece of electronics being able to ship. Older processes are ideal for these needs because they are very well characterized / understood, making them excellent for chips with an analog component. And older processes were cheap until demand exceeded supply.
Edit: and Intel doesn't and won't play into the market for support chips. There's no way in hell that they can support Intel's required profit margins.
- picture 4y agoTo add on: Older processes also have lower static current consumption due to less leakage from bigger features. They are quantitatively better in many applications for low power or high precision.