Intel Delays 7-Nanometer Chips Until Late 2022 or Early 2023

[MacRumors]

During its second quarter earnings announcement, Intel today said that it has delayed the rollout of its 7-nanometer chips by six months, which pushes the release date to late 2022 or early 2023 (via Tom's Hardware).

Intel's yields for its 7nm process are now twelve months behind its internal target. From Intel's earnings release:

The company's 7nm-based CPU product timing is shifting approximately six months relative to prior expectations. The primary driver is the yield of Intel's 7nm process, which based on recent data, is now trending approximately twelve months behind the company's internal target.

Intel CEO Bob Swan in the Q2 2020 earnings call said that Intel identified a "defect mode" in the 7nm process and has invested in "contingency plans" that include external third-party foundries. At the end of the call, Swan said that he's "not happy" with Intel's 7nm performance. Intel was originally aiming to release 7nm chips in 2021.

While the new 7nm process is in development, Intel plans to launch 10nm-based "Tiger Lake" chips in the near future, and the company's 10nm-based server CPU "Ice Lake" is on track for launch later this year. A new line of client CPUs codenamed "Alder Lake" will launch in the second half of 2021, which will include its first 10nm-based desktop CPU.

Intel has struggled with multiple yield issues over the years, which has led to chip delays and roadmap changes. Intel's issues are perhaps one of the reasons that Apple has decided to ditch Intel chips in favor of its own Arm-based chip technology for Macs. Apple has in the past been forced to delay updates or use older chips because of delays in Intel's production plans.

Starting this year, Apple is transitioning the Mac lineup to its own Apple Silicon chips, with the first Mac processors to be based on the 5-nanometer A14 chips in the works for the 2020 iPhone lineup.

Apple hasn't provided details on which Macs will get Apple Silicon chips first, but rumors suggest the 13-inch MacBook Pro and 13-inch MacBook Air models could be updated with the new chips before the end of the year. Apple says it will take two years to transition away from Intel chips entirely.

Article Link: Intel Delays 7-Nanometer Chips Until Late 2022 or Early 2023

 

[Mdracer]

It sadly seems like 7nm is a pipe dream for them.

 

[upandown]

It’s time to spend the money to make it happen Intel. If you don’t, you won’t survive.

 

[FocusAndEarnIt]

Move over, Intel. You're the 2020 version of the PowerPC. Can't wait for ARM. Typing this on a 16" MBP with blaring fans just because an external monitor is plugged in.

 

[Shirasaki]

Would love to see how post-Apple era intel chip compete against Apple silicon in terms of raw performance.

 

[alphaswift]

Apple looks smart switching to ARM

 

[EugW]

Assuming TSMC's 5 nm is roughly equivalent to Intel's 7 nm, that means TSMC will be a full 2 years ahead of them by 2022, assuming Intel actually hits that claimed target date.

 

[DummyFool]

Going from bad, bad, to worse.

 

[jz0309]

yield issues again ... I worked there for 15+yrs but left 10+yrs ago, they had lost their groove back then ... and they started to get rid of a lot of senior people who knew what they ere doing and didn't really replace the technical leadership with capable folks, and they are now run by a finance guy when they really need technical leadership ... I think the apple move will hurt them much more in the long run than analysts seem to think ... I've now completely lost my confidence in them

 

[Mr. Dee]

I guess this further solidifies Apples decision. Apple likely had deep access to Intels internal roadmap and saw where this was heading. I am more confident my next Mac will have Apple silicon rather than Intel inside. The interesting thing in all of this, I am still using a Core 2 Duo Dell Optiplex at work. So, let that sink in.

 

[upandown]

yield issues again ... I worked there for 15+yrs but left 10+yrs ago, they had lost their groove back then ... and they started to get rid of a lot of senior people who knew what they ere doing and didn't really replace the technical leadership with capable folks, and they are now run by a finance guy when they really need technical leadership ... I think the apple move will hurt them much more in the long run than analysts seem to think ... I've now completely lost my confidence in them

Great to hear inside perspective validating conjecture. Sadly, many many companies are run that way now.

 

[WannaGoMac]

Wow to think x86 may actually have reached a limit

 

[Shirasaki]

yield issues again ... I worked there for 15+yrs but left 10+yrs ago, they had lost their groove back then ... and they started to get rid of a lot of senior people who knew what they ere doing and didn't really replace the technical leadership with capable folks, and they are now run by a finance guy when they really need technical leadership ... I think the apple move will hurt them much more in the long run than analysts seem to think ... I've now completely lost my confidence in them

No amount of technical expertise can save a bad management system. Sadly intel seems to chose to be that way.

 

[oldMacGenius]

Tiger Lake looks decent, especially on the graphics side of things. These are also first destined for the same form factors Apple intends to put their own custom silicon in first; if rumors are to be believed. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get a few more generations of 14nm Desktop Macs, sans Mac Mini of course.

 

[ikir]

Move over, Intel. You're the 2020 version of the PowerPC. Can't wait for ARM. Typing this on a 16" MBP with blaring fans just because an external monitor is plugged in.

Thats quite strange, check is something is wrong with you setup, resolution, background software... this is not related to intel. If the fan are spinning, CPU or GPU is hot, maybe something is taking CPU od do you keep your machine where it can dissipate?

 

[mozumder]

Kill x86. Intel should start over with a new proprietary RISC architecture (not ARM, or RISC-V, or VLIW). They can't be behind in BOTH process and architecture. They have to kill architecture at least if they're stuck on their old processes.

 

[glindon]

2023? Apple said they would transition all of the Macs to Apple Silicon in 2 years so by that measure Apple will have completely moved away from intel before they might even release a 7nm chip.

 

[now i see it]

The world is running out of nanometers. Perhaps Intel hit its wall at 7nm but everyone else will be looking down the barrel of the same gun when they aim for 3nm.
The end of the ever shrinking world is near

 

[Gasu E.]

and they are now run by a finance guy when they really need technical leadership ...

Which company are we talking about, again?

 

[jamesnajera]

Dear Intel, buy ARM and TSMC if possible.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

I think it’s juuuust about time for a hearty

 

[brentx]

The world is running out of nanometers. Perhaps Intel hit its wall at 7nm but everyone else will be looking down the barrel of the same gun when they aim for 3nm.
The end of the ever shrinking world is near

Yeah this decade is going to be boring in terms of process for silicon. At this rate it will be 2030 before Intel hits 3nm, if that is even possible for them. Node size will be one dimension that manufacturers have fully optimized for, at least on current silicon processes (Gallium is interesting, but I think we are 5-10 years out until we see commercialization in that space).

On the flip side, there is still a lot of performance improvement to be had, especially in regards to IPC and instruction set optimization (like SIMD type instructions), and I think this is where ARM is going to shine. Node size and raw clock speed will become even more irrelevant. I get a lot of flak online and in person when I say this, but I think this will be the decade where ARM shines and takes out x86_64. Apple is already hopping on the bus, and we are only in the first year.

Once ARM starts to make true inroads in the server market (Look at Amazon's Graviton2 to start) and I think x86_64 CPU's days are numbered.

 

[citysnaps]

A huge hat-tip to Johny Srouji and his team, Tim Cook, and Apple for the foresight, investment, and years of planning that will soon make Apple beholden to Intel no longer. And instead have in-house silicon that will offer better performance, custom features, and with a lower cost.

Truly amazing what Apple pulled off.

 

[Unregistered 4U]

by that measure Apple will have completely moved away from intel before they might even release a 7nm chip.

I would even remove the “might”.

 

[joeblough]

The world is running out of nanometers. Perhaps Intel hit its wall at 7nm but everyone else will be looking down the barrel of the same gun when they aim for 3nm.
The end of the ever shrinking world is near

oh that's ok, there's 1000 picometers down there under that last nanometer.