Intel orders “Ponte Vecchio” at 6 nanometers from TSMC

Generation two of Intel’s upcoming graphics family Xe goes by the code name “Ponte Vecchio”, and was intended to be the company’s first circuit in its 7 nanometer manufacturing process. As early as last spring, however, rumors emerged that the company was considering something previously unthinkable – to place part of its production with the contract manufacturer TSMC. Now the rumors seem to turn into reality, where Intel chooses the N6P process at 6 nanometers.

According to Digitimes (via Wccftech) and China Times, Intel has now booked capacity for the production of as many as 180,000 silicon wafers with Xe circuits in the Ponte Vecchio family. Earlier rumors about 5 and 3 nanometer processor manufacturing are also highlighted in the reports and translated by “RetiredEngineer”, chiakokhua. Here, Xe at 6 nanometers is described as a soft start, with small volumes.

Excerpt from DigiTimes report today: pic.twitter.com/MaB6n46nfW

– RetiredEngineer® (@chiakokhua) July 27, 2020

If the sources prove to be true, TSMC would benefit greatly from Intel’s manufacturing problems in the latter half of 2022, as the company’s own concerns painted the company into a corner. Even Intel’s entire graphics investment can stand and weigh with the launch of just Ponte Vecchio, while processor production at TSMC of 5 and 3 nanometers is likely to get rid of regardless. In addition, TSMC is the most likely candidate for Intel’s emergency solution in the near future: to outsource 7 nanometer processor manufacturing.

TSMC’s 6-nanometer process N6P corresponds in round slings to Intel’s own next second generation “10 nm +”, where contract manufacturing is intended to free up more space in Intel’s factories for more complex CPU manufacturing. Previously, Intel has said that its production of 5 nanometers will take the lead in 2023, but with its delays of 7 nanometers, it remains to be seen.

Unlike Intel, the Taiwanese contract manufacturer appears to be in the process of manufacturing its next-generation processes, where in TSMC languages ​​they are called 4 and 3 nanometers during the latter half of 2022.