You know, sometimes technology just makes my head spin. Like, Intel’s doing all this futuristic stuff again. It’s kinda like they’ve got this magic wand, waving it over their new Direct Connect 2025 plans. The big shot at Intel, Lip-Bu Tan, seems like he’s really trying to kick things up a notch, or maybe a few notches.
Anyway — oh wait, got ahead of myself — they’re working on this 14A process, whatever that means. They’ve got something called PowerVia 2.0. Sounds fancy, right? I heard they’re already testing it out, aiming for some big launch in H2 2026. Honestly, I couldn’t even tell you what “H2” stands for on a good day. Half two? Maybe. But the techies out there, they’re all like “Wow, Intel’s killing it.”
Diving deeper — not literally, I hate swimming — this PowerDirect thing is all about giving your computer the juice without wasting it. Intel’s kinda boasting they’re ahead of TSMC by like, two generations. They’re trying to be the top dog in the future tech market. Cool, if you’re into that.
Oh, here’s a pic by Ian Cutress, and if you’re curious why I mentioned it, well, maybe I just liked the bright colors. Who doesn’t love a good photo?
Back to the tech stuff — so they have this 18A process coming into play next. It’s got these derivatives, 18A-P and 18A-PT. Not gonna lie, I had to Google what derivatives even meant. Still not sure I get it. But the 18A-PT sounds wild, talking 3D hybrid bonding like it’s no big deal. Intel’s playing in the TSMC league now, or so they say.
The hybrid bonding thing sounds like a mix between a wedding and a sci-fi movie, but really, it’s about stacking chiplets. Yep, chiplets. Foveros Direct bonding is the name, and it’s got some super tight measurements — under 5 microns. Not sure why that excites folks, but hey, I’m no chip expert. Intel’s planning to put this in their upcoming Xeon CPUs. I’ve got a feeling those chips are gonna be a big deal.
Oh, and their 18A production — they’re calling it risk production, whatever that means. Sounds kinda dangerous, doesn’t it? High Volume Manufacturing should start soon, they say. I guess factories full of workers in funny hats churning out tech; kind of a fun image!
Lastly, they’re ditching the 20A plan. Instead, they’re trying this whole friendly partner ecosystem thing. Sounds like a corporate picnic, probably without the ants. They’ve teamed up with folks like Synopsys and Cadence, making sure customers get what they want. This partnership stuff might actually boost their performance, or at least that’s what they hope.
Wow, that was a lot. Think I need a nap now.
