Intel expects 7nm to be ready in two years
Intel expects 7nm to be ready in two years
Today, AMD has 7nm desktop-grade processors available on store shelves while Intel is merely shipping 10nm mobile chips to notebook makers. We will note that TSMC’s 7nm process is a competitor to Intel’s 10nm process. That said it’s also worth noting that high power desktop-grade silicon is harder to produce than low power mobile processors.
Moving forward, Intel’s CEO, Bob Swan, has confirmed that the company plans to have their next-generation 7nm process ready in two years. 7nm is currently set to deliver a 2x increase in silicon density and a 4x decrease in design rules, making their future chips smaller and easier to design.
This move will make 10nm a shortlived node for Intel, at least when compared to 14nm, which has seen its lifespan stretched to its limits as 10nm suffered from delay after delay.
Swan blamed Intel’s 10nm delays on overambition, stating that the node was “too aggressive”. At a time where process node shrinks were becoming harder, Intel set a design target that was more ambitious than ever before. This set up Intel for disaster.
Intel’s planned 7nm process will utilise EUV technology and is due to be production-ready in 2021 alongside Intel’s refined 10nm++ process. Intel’s long-awaited dedicated graphics cards are likely to be amongst the company’s initial 7nm offerings.
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