Intel Looking to Mirror M1's Manufacturing Process for 'Meteor Lake' CPUs

[MacRumors]

Intel is considering manufacturing its 14th Gen Core "Meteor Lake" CPUs at least partly using TSMC's 5nm process to mirror Apple's M1 series of chips, DigiTimes reports.

Announced last year, Intel's Meteor Lake chips will be its first multi-chiplet design to integrate an application processor, graphics processing unit, and connection chips into a single Intel Foveros advanced package.

Intel initially said that the Meteor Lake CPUs would be manufactured with its own 7nm process, which it calls "Intel 4." At its most recent earnings call, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said that Meteor Lake would be the first Intel product made using Intel 4 and that prototypes had already successfully booted Windows, Chrome, and Linux.

Now, sources speaking to DigiTimes claim that Intel is considering placing orders for all of the chip blocks used in the Meteor Lake CPUs with TSMC, Apple's sole chip supplier. Rather than singularly rely on Intel's in-house 7nm process, the Meteor Lake chip blocks would be contracted out to be manufactured with TSMC's 5nm process, just like Apple's M1 chips for the Mac. The move would reportedly help avoid delays to the CPU's production and launch schedules.

The A14 Bionic, A15 Bionic, M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, and M1 Ultra chips, are manufactured using TSMC's 5nm process, and Intel's decision could help Meteor Lake chips to better rival Apple's competitive custom silicon. TSMC is also said to have now received chips orders for the iPhone 14 lineup using its 5nm process.

The sources added that potential orders for Meteor Lake CPUs would be large enough to encourage TSMC to scale up its fabrication capacity for its 5nm chips by the end of the year. Intel's Meteor Lake CPUs are set to launch in 2023.

Article Link: Intel Looking to Mirror M1's Manufacturing Process for 'Meteor Lake' CPUs

 

[madmin]

M1+++++++ ?

 

[boazjoe]

Sincerest flattery. Bah.

 

[Dwalls90]

This is why competition is great!

The CPU industry really was stagnating until AMD and Apple started hammering Intel in recent years.

 

[emmab2006]

I Mean it would make sense that the industry would try and move in this direction, unlikely a change of architectrial layout would happen, but it would be interesting to see how Intel adapt 13th Gen to this kind of layout, depending of course on a processing node change for future intel processor were to happen, that would certainly narrow the gap.

 

[ph001bi]

Digitimes, Windows 12 say no more.

 

[a104375]

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said that Meteor Lake would be the first Intel product made using Intel 4 and that prototypes had already successfully booted Windows 12 and Linux.

Dang Intel's already got Windows 12, wonder what it's like, a reskin of a reskin of Windows 10 perhaps?

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Intel, who? I wonder if the demand is that high. There is no way it’s close to M1 chips.

 

[Kissmo1980]

Mirror. Lol
What a fancy way of saying copy paste someone’s invetion.

I will use this at work for sure!

 

[Mcckoe]

Unifying components to the silicon, is only a portion of what makes the apple SOC so powerful. The neural engine for instance: is an entirely separate system that completes complex processing for the main system. “Mirroring” apple silicon is going to take more than a few generations of silicon.

 

[CoastalMaineBird]

"Intel initially said that the Meteor Lake CPUs would be manufactured with its own 7nm process"

Then someone discovered that they couldn't accommodate a chip that was 7 nautical miles across.

 

[incoherent_1]

Ah… yes. I remember those good old Intel vaperware days where the “real” breakthrough was always perpetually just another generation away…. At least according to the Intel Marketing people.

I’ll stay with my Apple Silicon where, you know, the current generation has breakthrough technology.

 

[BootsWalking]

Intel initially said that the Meteor Lake CPUs would be manufactured with its own 7nm process, which it calls "Intel 4."

Haha, like how AT&T calls their 4G LTE network "5GE".

 

[Bustycat]

Intel initially said that the Meteor Lake CPUs would be manufactured with its own 7nm process, which it calls "Intel 4."

Haha, like how AT&T calls their 4G LTE network "5GE".

Intel just followed TSMC and Samsung’s suit.

 

[CE3]

This is why competition is great!

The CPU industry really was stagnating until AMD and Apple started hammering Intel in recent years.

Agreed. I don’t think it can be overstated how game-changing Apple Silicon has been for the entire industry. Suddenly a MacBook Air is outperforming the previous year’s top end MacBook Pro with no fans. Say what?!

The M1 was a huge multigenerational leap forward that’s benefited both Mac & Windows users.

 

[BootsWalking]

Ah… yes. I remember those good old Intel vaperware days where the “real” breakthrough was always perpetually just another generation away…. At least according to the Intel Marketing people.

I’ll stay with my Apple Silicon where, you know, the current generation has breakthrough technology.

I don't disagree but Intel's 12th generation x86 chip is a barnstormer and has excellent performance for the price. It takes your own personal power plant to supply it but hey

 

[conmac7h]

The big news there is nothng else but an unknown, new version of windows, windows 12.

 

[saudor]

This is why competition is great!

The CPU industry really was stagnating until AMD and Apple started hammering Intel in recent years.

Seriously. We were stuck with quad cores for a freaking decade and as soon as AMD stopped being goofballs, boom! 6 core coffee lake. Just like that.

 

[aplnub]

I just want an ARM version of Windows to virtualize on my Mac.

 

[jz0309]

Intel's process technology is not compatible with TSMCs, so, "switching" over is a multiple year effort involving re-design, takeouts, validation etc - I call BS

 

[kk200]

Mirror. Lol
What a fancy way of saying copy paste someone’s invetion.

I will use this at work for sure!

there is an even better word: respect

 

[surfzen21]

My PC is an older intel CPU. Looking forward to dumping in on my next upgrade. They don't seem to know where they want their product to go or how to get there.

 

[hajime]

For such Intel M1 chip, will it run Arm's version of Windows or x486 version of Windows? Do software developers need to rewrite the codes? If the former, M1 Mac are already doing that with some compatibility issues and slower performance. I don't want to run Windows application in emulation mode but at the same time, I also do not like noisy fan laptops.

 

[W2u7Yw4HaD]

Competition is good, but they are trying to be " Intel's decision could help Meteor Lake chips to better rival Apple's competitive custom silicon" using the previous gen tech to what apple just used.. And the next release will be 3nm or 2nm... Intel needs to up their game..

 

[centauratlas]

If true, how far Intel has fallen. Complacency and not being willing to cannibalize your own markets leads to this type of thing. I hope they come back and succeed if only to keep the pressure on Apple to improve.

As someone said above, competition is great.