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Sounds like a response to Intel's 18A process [0], which is also coming in 2026. [0] https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/manufacturing/intel-18a-based-c

Sounds like a response to Intel's 18A process [0], which is also coming in 2026. [0] https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/manufacturing/intel-18a-based-cpus-will-ramp-to-high-volume-in-2026 https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/manufacturing/int...

Alifatisk 2y ago
This is a response to something that’s coming in 2 years? Incredible how far ahead they are
- blackoil 2y ago
  This will also come in 2026, so not that far ahead.
  - nerbert 2y ago
    Depends who will ultimately deliver.
- tgtweak 2y ago
  Fabs have a 3+ year lead time from prototyping the node to having it produce production wafers.
HarHarVeryFunny 2y ago
Intel is the one trying to catch up to TSMC, not vice versa! The link you give doesn't have any details of Intel's 18A process, including no indication of it innovating in any way, as opposed to TSMC with their "backside power delivery" which is going to be critical for power-hungry SOTA AI chips.
- shookness 2y ago
  While you are correct that it is Intel trying to catch TSMC, you are wrong about the origin of backside power delivery. The idea originated at Intel sometime ago, but it would be very ironic if TSMC implements it before Intel...
  - sct202 2y ago
    Intel is not the inventor of backside power, they are the first planning to commercialize it. It's similar to finfets and GAA where Intel or Samsung may be first to commercialize an implementation of those technologies, but the actual conceptual origin and first demonstrations are at universities or research consortiums like IMEC. Example Imec demonstrating backside power in 2019 https://spectrum.ieee.org/buried-power-lines-make-memory-faster https://spectrum.ieee.org/buried-power-lines-make-memory-fas... far before powerVia was announced.
  - langsoul-com 2y ago
    Intel has been out of the game for so long. Their deadlines are just PR speak, in reality, they'd definitely run into Road blocks. Not saying TSMC won't, but they have so much more experience in the cutting edge.
- s3p 2y ago
  OP never said Intel wasn't trying to catch up. As far as backside power delivery, this is literally what Intel has been working on. It is called PowerVia. https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/powervia-test-shows-industry-leading-performance.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/powerv...
- hinkley 2y ago
  Except for backside power. Intel published and had a timeline to ship at least one generation ahead of TSMC. I haven’t been tracking what happened since, but Intel was ahead on this one process improvement. And it’s not a small one, but it doesn’t cancel out their other missteps. Not by half.
- ajross 2y ago
  This isn't a comparison of shipping processes though, it's just roadmap products. And in fact until this announcement Intel was "ahead" of TSMC on the 2026 roadmap.
  - HarHarVeryFunny 2y ago
    I can't see that going down too well on an earnings call. "Well, yes, we're behind TSMC in technology, but in our dreams we're way ahead!"

Alifatisk 2y ago

This is a response to something that’s coming in 2 years? Incredible how far ahead they are

blackoil 2y ago
This will also come in 2026, so not that far ahead.
- nerbert 2y ago
  Depends who will ultimately deliver.
tgtweak 2y ago
Fabs have a 3+ year lead time from prototyping the node to having it produce production wafers.

HarHarVeryFunny 2y ago

Intel is the one trying to catch up to TSMC, not vice versa! The link you give doesn't have any details of Intel's 18A process, including no indication of it innovating in any way, as opposed to TSMC with their "backside power delivery" which is going to be critical for power-hungry SOTA AI chips.

shookness 2y ago
While you are correct that it is Intel trying to catch TSMC, you are wrong about the origin of backside power delivery. The idea originated at Intel sometime ago, but it would be very ironic if TSMC implements it before Intel...
- sct202 2y ago
  Intel is not the inventor of backside power, they are the first planning to commercialize it. It's similar to finfets and GAA where Intel or Samsung may be first to commercialize an implementation of those technologies, but the actual conceptual origin and first demonstrations are at universities or research consortiums like IMEC. Example Imec demonstrating backside power in 2019 https://spectrum.ieee.org/buried-power-lines-make-memory-faster https://spectrum.ieee.org/buried-power-lines-make-memory-fas... far before powerVia was announced.
- langsoul-com 2y ago
  Intel has been out of the game for so long. Their deadlines are just PR speak, in reality, they'd definitely run into Road blocks. Not saying TSMC won't, but they have so much more experience in the cutting edge.
s3p 2y ago
OP never said Intel wasn't trying to catch up. As far as backside power delivery, this is literally what Intel has been working on. It is called PowerVia. https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/powervia-test-shows-industry-leading-performance.html https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/powerv...
hinkley 2y ago
Except for backside power. Intel published and had a timeline to ship at least one generation ahead of TSMC. I haven’t been tracking what happened since, but Intel was ahead on this one process improvement. And it’s not a small one, but it doesn’t cancel out their other missteps. Not by half.
ajross 2y ago
This isn't a comparison of shipping processes though, it's just roadmap products. And in fact until this announcement Intel was "ahead" of TSMC on the 2026 roadmap.
- HarHarVeryFunny 2y ago
  I can't see that going down too well on an earnings call. "Well, yes, we're behind TSMC in technology, but in our dreams we're way ahead!"