All in the plan: Intel takes a stand on Panther Lake and Intel 18a 0 comments
Almost every week there are reports about the alleged status of Intel 18A and its yield (yield) and thus Intel’s great hope for the future. Now Intel has said itself again, albeit very detailed. After all, it is denied that this year there will be nothing more with 18a and Panther Lake.
The yield at Panther Lake is above Meteor Lake
Intel Panther Lake will be released as planned this year, Intel confirms at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference. Intel could also be carried away here for a statement on yield, so it was at a good level, slightly above Intel Meteor Lake at the same time on the scale.
Panther Lake is on track to be launched in the second half of this year. This launch date has not changed. We feel really good about the progress we’re making. In fact, if you look at where our yields are on Panther Lake today. They’re actually slightly ahead of a similar time to Meteor Lake.
Intel
But those comparisons are ultimately only helping to a limited extent. Meteor Lake yield was high on its own, but the platform got sick due to the newly introduced EUV lithography on the too-low production volume and the new advanced packaging. This should be improved for Intel 18A, which relies on the same EUV tools as Meteor Lake, plus the additional packaging experience, but with Panther Lake.
Intel-4 Production with EUV (Image: Intel)
So, the start of Panther Lake with 18A is planned
Intel also gave an early classification of what the beginning might look like. The model follows both Meteor Lake and Intel Lunar Lake. The first products are introduced in the fall and the shipping starts, but the large volume is then ready only in the year. Trial samples of Panther Lake through the step have already been seen by partners in January for CES 2025.
Now, I will remind you that we will launch Panther Lake in the second half of this year. In the same vein, we launched Meteor Lake in the second half of ’23. It was not until ’24 that it became real volume. We launched Lunar Lake in the second half of last year, and this is the year that it becomes real volume. And as we said on Panther Lake, we launched in the second half of this year, but it is really not until next year that we get to that volume really starts to improve the margin profile of the overall company.
Intel
18a for customers in 2026
In 2026, it should also be the turn of the first client chips in 18A. Some large companies are currently testing possible solutions, including Nvidia and Broadcom. But this is part of normal everyday life at a manufacturer. Ultimately, it cannot be derived from it. The first tape-out of an Intel-18A chip for a foundry customer is to be carried out in the first half of this year in the coming weeks.
We are also on track and have announced that we will register our first external design on Intel 18A in the first half of this year.
Intel
Many negative rumors from Asia
Busy analyst Ming Kuo from Asia had often fired at Intel in recent weeks. Through his Apple-Analysis with a good reputation, but apparently fired at Intel in the meantime, had to overcome a little recently and explain that his source situation for the performance analysis does not include any direct source.
A week later, he followed renewed rumors about a delay, which finally prompted him to take a public position himself.
Topics: Semiconductor industry Intel Intel Panther Lake Processor Economy Source: Seeking Alpha
Marc deciphers processors by testing their performance for gaming, content creation, and artificial intelligence.
