In a recent conference call with JP Morgan, Intel has addressed topics such as 10nm production, 14nm longevity and Spectre/Meltdown vulnerabilities in great detail, providing a unique insight into the company’s plans for the next 12-18 months.
Intel talks about Spectre and Meltdown, in addition to their processes at 14 nm and 10 nm
Starting with Spectre/Meltdown, Intel is committed to launching new hardware-level mitigation products later this year, in the form of Cascade Lake and Whiskey Lake, that will use the company’s existing 14nm manufacturing process. On the subject of 10nm, Intel was quick to point out that they are sending out silicon in low quantities.
The 10nm node currently does not have an exact framework for the process to be ready, with Intel limiting production until it makes financial sense. The 10nm will go into full production when they reach a sufficiently high point on the yield curve.
With the current state of 10nm, Intel plans to stay with 14nm for a while longer, claiming they are comfortable with their 14nm roadmap and will give them product leadership over the next 12-18 months. If this statement is correct, we will see products at 14nm for next year, putting AMD in a position where they can launch 7nm products before Intel can create high-end processors on its 10nm node.
The company’s use of the 14nm for 2019 data centre products offers AMD a great opportunity to gain market share in this market, especially if they can continue to offer competitive pricing. The roadmap is being delayed because of its 10nm production yields, forcing the company to release Skylake, Kaby Lake and Coffee Lake with minimal architectural changes under increasingly efficient iterations of its 14nm manufacturing process.