Tech
Trailing TSMC in Density but Delivering 18%+ Power Savings: Intel 18A-P Opens a Second Foundry Race
Numbers showing more than 18% power reduction and more than 9% performance improvement are pushing Intel Foundry back into the center of the leading-edge process race. Intel 18A-P, unveiled at VLSI 2026, is a refined version of 18A built on the foundation of RibbonFET and PowerVia. Meanwhile, TSMC N2 surpasses Intel 18A in transistor density, holding the lead in advanced manufacturing. On top of this, reports of Apple evaluating an entry-level M-series chip and Google considering advanced packaging are converging, and the axis of competition is beginning to expand from "the finest process" to "sufficient efficiency and supply diversification."
