Technology
Next-gen chip of Intel 7 nm is delayed to the 2022 minimum.
After years of delays, Intel has now announced that it has encountered problems with its upcoming 7 nm process that is also going to lead to delays for the next generation of chips. Intel's chips are now available.
The Intel release of its revenue for Q2 2020 notes that "the 7 nm CPU timing for this company shifts from its initially planned arrival at the end of 2021 to around six months in relation to prior expectations." The six-month delay would put the date at least in 2022, if not further, because of what Tom's Hardware described Intel Chief Executive Officer Bob Swan as a "defect mode."
Intel is actually saying that the problems with its current production of 7 nm mean that production trends over the course of a year. However, for some reason , the company says that a year behind schedule will only lead to a six-month market delay. In comparison, AMD has produced its own Ryzen 4 000 chips for months based on its 7 nm architecture, which outperform Intel's offerings very easily.
However, it's no bad news for Intel: The company is on track to release its 11th Gen Tiger Lake chips (based on the 3rd generation, 10nm++ processor of the company) later this year to succeed the 10th Gen Ice Lake laptop range, bringing Intel's hyped Xe graphics. At this year's end, Intel will also launch its first products, including its long-awaited first 10 nm desktop CPU, from the 12th Gener Alder Lake (the successor to Tiger Lake).
Also positive were Intel's actual fiscal results for Q2, with an overall 7 per cent improvement in revenue of $9.50 billion over the year, from Intel's Customers Computing Group (which makes processors for laptop and workstation). Intel notes that the high results have been driven by increased laptop sales because of the increase in customers working and learning at home caused by COVID-19. And the revenues of Intel's Q2 also increased 20% over the previous 20 years to 19.7 billion dollars, largely due to a significant increase in the data center and memory solutions divisions in Intel.
But a problem for the company lies in the delay to reach 7 nm chips. If the history of Intel expanding its architecture by 14 nm over generations of incremental refining goes by, many more 10 nm products will be released in the next years.
Even Intel can make so much padding with its line-up. The delay of 10 nm chips helps a vast number of computer applications to develop new and better products. On Intel's road map, they are increasing their efficiency and performance. And it's possible that PC 's world will be in for a similar bottleneck with 7 nm Intel chips in years to come, based on the company 's current guidance.
