News
Intel 18A process faces adoption hurdles from major customers over yield and PDK issues
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at 09:22 AM
Intel has indicated that major customers are currently unlikely to adopt the 18A process node due to ongoing yield concerns and issues with the process design kit (PDK).
Context
Intel is set to release its next-generation Core Ultra Series 3 processors, codenamed Panther Lake, with a partial launch scheduled for late December 2025. This launch is a critical milestone, as the CPU's compute tile is the first high-volume product manufactured on Intel's advanced 18A process node. The 1.8nm-class process represents the culmination of the company's ambitious "5 Nodes in 4 Years" roadmap, signaling a potential return to process technology leadership after effectively skipping its 20A node.
The new chips leverage two groundbreaking technologies: PowerVia for backside power delivery and RibbonFET gate-all-around transistors. Early reports indicate these innovations deliver substantial improvements, with claims of a 50% increase in multi-threaded performance and up to 30% lower power consumption compared to previous generations. With mass production already underway as of late 2025, the successful execution on 18A is a significant proof point for both Intel's product competitiveness and its burgeoning foundry business.
Related Companies
Intel
INTC