NVIDIA’s recent exploration of Intel’s 18A chips, part of their notable $5 billion arrangement, has sparked industry conversations. Although the sampling did not deliver conclusive outcomes for Intel’s foundry division, it highlights the ongoing collaboration between these tech giants.
Intel’s Ambitions with 18A and 14A Nodes
Intel Foundry is striving for a major breakthrough by attracting external clients for its advanced chip processes, such as the 18A and 14A. Reports suggest significant interest from major players like Apple, NVIDIA, AMD, and Qualcomm, all observing how Intel’s production capabilities unfold. Interestingly, NVIDIA’s sampling of the 18A process is noted in a Reuters report detailing Intel’s strategic endeavors.
Nvidia recently tested out whether it would manufacture its chips using Intel’s production process known as 18A but stopped moving forward, two people familiar with the matter said.
– Reuters
Intel continues to advocate the 18A node for internal uses, prioritizing power-efficient solutions like Panther Lake. Meanwhile, the upcoming 14A node is expected to appeal more to external partners such as NVIDIA, who favor high-performance computing capabilities.
NVIDIA’s Strategic Partnerships and Choices
Fabless manufacturers routinely engage in PDK sampling as part of their foundry interactions. While NVIDIA has secured capacity at TSMC for their N2 node, Intel wasn’t the primary choice for this particular class. Discussions between Intel and NVIDIA’s CEOs revealed that their substantial partnership focuses on collaboration in the x86 segment, excluding foundry aspects.
The Reuters report offered insights into how Intel’s negotiations with US government officials not only secured financial backing but also positioned the company as a top priority for domestic electronics manufacturing. Concerns from foreign fabs indicate that Intel is significantly influencing the US production landscape, making it a formidable contender in the global chipmaking arena.