intel's foundry hopes surge as nvidia and broadcom test a18 chips

2025-03-04 general

santa clara, Tuesday, 4 March 2025.
Intel’s stock is up 22% this year. Nvidia and Broadcom are testing Intel’s 18A process. AMD is evaluating the technology. This could bring hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts to Intel. Intel aims to compete with TSMC. Intel’s 18A process is comparable to TSMC’s N2 node. Intel’s 18A is thought to be faster. The foundry business lost $13.4 billion in 2024. The previous tests with Broadcom failed in September 2024.

Intel’s a18 process gains momentum

Intel’s 18A process is attracting significant interest from major chip designers [6]. Nvidia and Broadcom are reportedly testing the process for chip manufacturing [1][5]. AMD is also evaluating Intel’s 18A process [1][6]. Successful adoption by these companies could provide a substantial boost to Intel’s foundry business [3]. This could lead to increased revenue and market share [1]. The 18A process is designed for advanced AI processors and complex chips [1].

Potential financial impact

The potential contracts from Nvidia and Broadcom could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to Intel [3][6]. These contracts would provide much-needed revenue for Intel’s foundry, which lost $13.4 billion in 2024 [4]. Securing these deals could significantly improve investor confidence in Intel’s ability to compete with TSMC and Samsung [5]. Intel’s stock experienced a surge following reports of the testing [6].

Competition and technical details

Intel’s 18A process aims to rival TSMC’s advanced chip manufacturing capabilities [1]. It is considered comparable to TSMC’s N2 node [2][5]. The 18A process utilizes gate-all-around RibbonFET transistors and PowerVia technology [2]. While TSMC’s N2 node may offer higher density, Intel’s 18A is believed to provide faster performance [2]. This positions Intel as a strong contender in the high-performance computing market [1].

Challenges and future outlook

Despite the positive developments, Intel faces challenges. Production for third-party clients using the 18A process may be delayed until mid-2026 [2][3]. Intel plans to begin fabricating chips in the second half of 2025 [2]. Intel’s Panther Lake SoCs, which use the 18A process, are expected to debut in the second half of 2025 [3]. Over the past year, Intel’s stock decreased by 48% [6]. Recent progress with the 18A process could signal a turnaround for the company [4].

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chip technology intel 18a