Intel Corp (INTC)

[Unkwn]

If I was permitted more than one post per day then I would explain it to you. Basically Intel scales all components by volume, while "others" only scale one (maybe 2) dimensions. So Intel is doing the honest scaling, and they will end up ahead of the competition in doing so. But there are scads and scads of other components going onboard Intel chips, and I agree with BK that the obsession with size (in this case tiny) is the bugaboo of small minds, such as one finds littering up this mssg board. So, I am grateful to Phud and his henchmen for restricting me to one post per day because I don't drop in here very often, and that suits me just fine.

Here's a, well, more sophisticated approach to compare projected densities of Intel 10nm vs. Globalfoundries 7nm.

Here's the conclusion (for details on the metrics, have a look at the numbers in the article):

Comparing Intel's 10nm process to GF's 7nm process they are more similar than they are different. Since both companies are solving the same difficult physics problems this is in some ways not surprising.

The surprising part in my opinion is that GF at 14nm stumbled so badly they had to license it from Samsung. Now they have an internally developed 7nm process that matches up well with Intel's latest 10nm process.

It is also surprising to me to see how far Intel has fallen from the process lead they had. First with HKMG by several years, first with FinFet by several year, I suppose they are still first to do cobalt interconnect but in terms of process density the foundries have caught them and appear poised to take a substantial lead over the next several years.

With Intel offering foundry processes and GF, Samung and TSMC all offering leading edge processes the industry now has four viable leading edge process options.

I think that pretty much nails it. Intel lost its lead, has trouble keeping track and will very soon have three competing foundries in the world which can, at the very least, keep up with what Intel can offer. In addition, they are going to be there first, since Intel shifted 10nm, volume production to beginning of next year. Looks like bye bye to Intel's foundry aspirations and have fun paying the next process advancements with just the PC and server business alone. Intel had a very good option with its 22nm process to enter the foundry and mobile business. They screwed it. No second chance here.