[News] Intel Confirms Panther Lake, First Processor Manufactured with 18A Node, to Launch in 2H25

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According to a report from TechNews, Intel has announced that its Panther Lake processor, the first to utilize the Intel 18A process node, will debut in the second half of 2025. During a speech at CES 2025, Intel’s interim co-CEO Michelle Johnston Holthaus showcased a sample of the Panther Lake chip and stated that the chip is currently under testing.

As noted by a report from Tom’s Hardware, Intel plans to expand its AI PC product lineup in 2025 while sending samples of its “lead 18A product” — the Panther Lake processor — to its customers. Tom’s Hardware highlights the importance of Panther Lake to Intel, as 70% of its production will be handled in-house, offering significantly higher profit margins.

The report from TechNews indicates that industry sources have referred to Panther Lake as the Core Ultra 300. The processor is reported to feature over 16 cores, with a mix of Cougar Cove P-cores and Skymont/Darkmont E-cores, and may include up to 12 Xe3 (Celestial) integrated GPU cores, based on architectural analysis.

Intel’s 18A Process Technology

The 18A process is Intel’s first (or technically second, as the 20A process has been canceled) to feature RibbonFET gate-all-around transistors and the PowerVia backside power delivery network, as highlighted by the report from Tom’s Hardware.

Intel is also preparing its data center-oriented Clearwater Forest processor using the 18A technology, as noted by Tom’s Hardware. This CPU is designed to consume hundreds of watts of power and will benefit from PowerVia’s advanced backside power delivery network.

Intel’s 18A process is expected to enter high-volume production in the first half of 2026, placing Intel’s 18A timeline slightly behind TSMC’s N2 ( 2nm-class process), according to Tom’s Hardware. TSMC’s N2 process is slated for high-volume manufacturing in the second half of 2025.

Intel 18A Process’s Yield Challenges and Progress

Concerns about the yield rate of Intel’s 18A process have been a topic of discussion. A prior report from Reuters in November 2024 revealed that Broadcom’s initial tests with the 18A process did not meet expectations. However, in December 2024, Intel announced progress by distributing initial engineering samples to customers, and eight of these samples had successfully powered on, as noted by TechPoweUp.

Adding to the discourse on yield rates, the report from TechNews highlights that following his unexpected retirement, Intel’s former CEO, Pat Gelsinger, publicly defended the performance of the 18A process. Taking to social media, Gelsinger argued that using percentages to evaluate semiconductor yield rates is misleading. He stated that such metrics fail to capture the complexities and nuances of chip manufacturing and yield dynamics.

Read more

• [News] Intel Reportedly Confirms Panther Lake to Be Built on 18A, with Samples Distributed to Customers
• [News] Intel Struggles Persist as 18A Process Rumored to Report Low 10% Yield, Hindering Mass Production

(Photo credit: Intel)