Intel Nova Lake-S uses TSMC N2 process Tape-Out

[siliconbruh999]

Intel is creating back up plans and parallel plans for 18A products and maybe beyond. This will give them the flexibility needed to navigate the restructuring.

I would use 18 Months from Tapeout to Launch minimum.... even that might be a paper launch (products not on shelves).

We will see the product roadmap change before Nova lake gets launched.

Huh there are things getting changed before nova lake ? There are only 2 products before NVL Launch Panther and Clearwater forest.

 

[Daniel Nenni]

How can A16 be superior to A14? Isn't A16 have BSPDN?

Oops..... Work in progress.

 

[MKWVentures]

Huh there are things getting changed before nova lake ? There are only 2 products before NVL Launch Panther and Clearwater forest.

there will be product ROADMAP changes when intel publishes the client and datacenter/AI roadmap in the next year. This will include which skus are on which node and which are dropped.

Speaking of which.... naming convention:

If Intel takes a CPU, keeps the core, redoes it.... isnt that just a refresh? not a new generation? RLR was called 14th gen ... as was meteor lake. doesnt seem right.
and doesnt the codename "Arrow lake" go with the core design. Meteor lake on Intel 3 is not arrow lake.... the cores are different?
I hope this "when is Arrow lake not arrow lake" confusion goes away. LOL

 

[XtorTourist]

Semiaccurate never said anything about Nova Lake. SA has a blurb called: "Intel Tapes Out a Major Product", but SA is not talking about Nova Lake or N2. This article is either mis-attributing or making things up.

 

[siliconbruh999]

NVL already tape out before April this year In Q1 on 18AP but that was the Intel compute tile alongside Diamond Rapids not the TSMC one.

 

[MKWVentures]

NVL already tape out before April this year In Q1 on 18AP but that was the Intel compute tile alongside Diamond Rapids not the TSMC one.

So NVL and Diamond rapids are already taped out on 18A? Correct?

 

[Daniel Nenni]

Semiaccurate never said anything about Nova Lake. SA has a blurb called: "Intel Tapes Out a Major Product", but SA is not talking about Nova Lake or N2. This article is either mis-attributing or making things up.

Both.

Intel is using N2 for high performance tiles. They will also use 18A and N3. That is the bonus of using chiplets (tiles). Hopefully they will switch over the 18AP when it is ready sometime next year and have more Intel content.

Intel 18A(P) Process Technology Wiki - Semiwiki

Intel 18A(P) (also referred to as Intel 18A+ or simply 18A Performance) is Intel’s upcoming advanced semiconductor process node, positioned as a refinement and performance enhancement of the base Intel 18A node. It marks a critical step in Intel's roadmap to reclaim process leadership by the...

semiwiki.com

 

[MKWVentures]

Both.

Intel is using N2 for high performance tiles. They will also use 18A and N3. That is the bonus of using chiplets (tiles). Hopefully they will switch over the 18AP when it is ready sometime next year and have more Intel content.

Intel 18A(P) Process Technology Wiki - Semiwiki

Intel 18A(P) (also referred to as Intel 18A+ or simply 18A Performance) is Intel’s upcoming advanced semiconductor process node, positioned as a refinement and performance enhancement of the base Intel 18A node. It marks a critical step in Intel's roadmap to reclaim process leadership by the...

semiwiki.com

On Nova Lake CPU. Are they using N2 or 18A? or N3

I am not sure how (because people keep saying it takes 3+ years to change designs)..... but Intel is changing the nodes used on multiple chiplets to deal with financial issues. They seems to think they can shift back and forth from TSMC.

Unless they had parallel development efforts going, It would appear one can change from one node to another and tapeout in less than a year. What am I missing? thanks in advance

 

[Daniel Nenni]

On Nova Lake CPU. Are they using N2 or 18A? or N3

I am not sure how (because people keep saying it takes 3+ years to change designs)..... but Intel is changing the nodes used on multiple chiplets to deal with financial issues. They seems to think they can shift back and forth from TSMC.

Unless they had parallel development efforts going, It would appear one can change from one node to another and tapeout in less than a year. What am I missing? thanks in advance

Yes, with chiplets. Big monolithic designs 2-3 years. Apple does SoCs every year but they are generally incremental rather than a complete redesign.

 

[siliconbruh999]

So NVL and Diamond rapids are already taped out on 18A? Correct?

18AP and this was update given in foundry event with two products running in the fabs for 18AP(NVL/DMR)

On Nova Lake CPU. Are they using N2 or 18A? or N3

I am not sure how (because people keep saying it takes 3+ years to change designs)..... but Intel is changing the nodes used on multiple chiplets to deal with financial issues. They seems to think they can shift back and forth from TSMC.

Unless they had parallel development efforts going, It would appear one can change from one node to another and tapeout in less than a year. What am I missing? thanks in advance

Regarding Nova Lake except for the Swappable compute tile(CPU Tile) everything is IFS the CPU Tile is dual sourced between 18AP/N2. N2 is for desktop and 18AP is mobile.