Intel says 18A process is ready, tape-out confirmed for the first half of 2025

Why it matters: As Intel's chip design and foundry businesses face mounting pressure that could jeopardize the company's future, much is riding on the success of its upcoming 18A node. As Intel finalizes its latest semiconductor process, 2025 will be a decisive year for its efforts to legitimize its foundry division and regain competitiveness against TSMC and Samsung. Intel has announced that its 18A process node is "ready" for third-party clients, with tape-out design finalizations set to begin in the first half of this year. The node is expected to introduce advanced semiconductor features ahead of products featuring TSMC's N2 process, which is set to debut in 2026. Short for 18 Angstroms (or 1.8nm), 18A promises a 30 percent increase in chip density and a 15 percent improvement in performance per watt compared to Intel 3. The company plans to use the process for its upcoming Panther Lake laptop processors and Clearwater Forest server CPUs, both of which are expected to launch befo ... Read full article.