Intel's Alleged 18A Chip Manufacturing Struggles Put Panther Lake Launch At Risk

A Reuters report yesterday claims that Intel is struggling with poor yields on its next-generation 18A manufacturing process, and the state of the manufacturing chain is bad enough, allegedly, that it might jeopardize the launch of Panther Lake. The report cites anonymous sources who say yields on 18A wafers are poor, with "only a small percentage" of Panther Lake chips suitable for sale to customers.

This story has a problem, though: Intel already told us what its 18A defect rates look like, and that number doesn't match the picture Reuters is painting. Back in September of 2024, Intel publicly stated that its 18A process was yielding less than 0.4 defects per square centimeter. When plugged into standard yield models, that number actually looks pretty healthy, especially for small chips like those involved in Panther Lake.

For example, what is thought to be Panther Lake's largest die, estimated ...