Intel’s Next-Generation Chip to Enter ‘High Volume’ Production by End of Year

Shares of Intel have nearly doubled this year. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg)

Key Points

• Intel’s Panther Lake processors, utilizing the 18A manufacturing process, will enter high-volume production at Fab 52 in Arizona later this year.
• Panther Lake chips for client PCs are projected to deliver over 50% faster performance compared to the previous generation.
• The 18A manufacturing process offers up to 15% better performance per watt and 30% better chip density than the Intel 3 process.

Intel’s newest chip manufacturing technology is ready to go.

On Thursday, the chip maker announced the first products based on its Panther Lake architecture will enter “high volume” production at Intel’s newest chip factory in Arizona later this year.

The Panther Lake processors will be made on the company’s latest 18A chip manufacturing process.

“Panther Lake is already in production, on track to meet customer commitments, and poised to become the industry’s most widely adopted PC platform,” Intel stated. “Intel 18A is the most advanced semiconductor node developed and manufactured in the United States.”

Intel said Panther Lake chips made for client PCs will offer more than 50% faster performance than the prior generation. Panther Lake chips will ship by the end of the year with “broad market availability” starting in January, the company said.

Last week, Intel hosted press and analysts at its Arizona site called Fab 52. Barron’s didn’t attend the event. The company said a typical chip fab takes three to five years to build and costs roughly $20 billion to $25 billion.

The company said Fab 52 is now “fully operational” and will manufacture chips in “high volume” using 18A later this year. It said 18A offers up to 15% better performance per watt and 30% better chip density versus the prior Intel 3 process.

Intel has recently been raising capital from a variety of sources. Last month, Intel announced a new partnership with Nvidia , part of which entails Nvidia investing $5 billion in Intel stock. In August, Intel also unveiled a $2 billion investment from Japan’s SoftBank . That same week, Intel announced an agreement for the U.S. government to make an $8.9 billion investment in Intel shares.

Write to Tae Kim at tae.kim@barrons.com