Intel CES releases key AI PC chip: 18A process debut + 60% performance improvement, the company will 迎来 "strategic turning point"

Intel officially launched its AI PC chip series based on the 18A process technology at CES, which is seen as a key milestone in the company's manufacturing revival and technological leadership. The new generation of chips features groundbreaking transistor architecture and power design, marking Intel's first large-scale production of the 18A process, aiming to reclaim market share occupied by AMD and proving that its foundry business has returned to the forefront of technological competition.

The newly released Intel Core Ultra Series 3 processors are the first products based on the Panther Lake architecture. Laptops equipped with this chip will be available for pre-order on January 7 and will be globally launched on January 27. Intel Senior Vice President Jim Johnson revealed on-site that the performance of the new generation of chips has improved by up to 60% compared to the previous Lunar Lake Series 2.

Intel CEO Chen Liwu emphasized that the company "has fulfilled its commitment to deliver the first batch of 18A process products by 2025." Johnson further pointed out that "2026 will be a strategic turning point for the industry and Intel," hinting that technological iteration and market dynamics will enter a new phase.

It is noteworthy that Intel's previous generation Lunar Lake chips were primarily manufactured by TSMC. Although Panther Lake faced yield challenges during its early development, the company's management stated that production yield has significantly improved month by month.

Two Major Technological Breakthroughs Achieved with 18A Process

Intel's 18A process technology integrates what the company calls two key technologies that are breakthroughs in the industry. The first is an innovation at the transistor level: the 18A products will introduce "full surround gate" technology for the first time, which allows for more precise control over the transistor switching process. In modern chips, tens of billions of transistors are integrated into a small area, and improving switching efficiency is crucial for reducing overall power consumption.

This breakthrough lays the foundation for developing chips with higher transistor density, greater data throughput capability, and better energy efficiency. Intel Senior Vice President Jim Johnson further revealed that the company has successfully developed independent small chips for graphics processing units that can be integrated with other functional small chips through advanced packaging technology to create more flexible and high-performance processor solutions.

Additionally, Intel plans to launch a handheld gaming device platform based on the Panther Lake architecture by 2025. Johnson noted that the market acceptance of handheld PC devices designed by multiple suppliers has been continuously increasing in recent years. The company expects to announce specific partners and product details related to this platform later this year.

Foundry Business Faces Critical Test

The market performance of the new products is crucial to Intel's strategic plan to transform into a major global foundry. The company is trying to carve out competitiveness in the foundry industry dominated by TSMC, with Samsung Electronics following closely, by manufacturing chips for external customers. It is worth noting that Intel itself has also outsourced some advanced process production to TSMC, which indirectly reflects its recognition of TSMC's current technological strength. Despite Intel's clear statement that it will continue to cooperate with TSMC in certain areas, the self-developed product line based on the 18A process marks its strategic attempt to reclaim high-end chip manufacturing capabilities in-house. This move is crucial for Intel to win custom chip contracts—a key business that is still in its infancy but vital for the long-term development of its foundry business—and serves as an important test of its technological independence and manufacturing competitiveness.

It is noteworthy that, with the support of the U.S. government and the purchase of billions of dollars in shares by Nvidia and SoftBank Group, Intel's stock price has recently rebounded.

Competitors Competing on the Same Stage

AMD plans to deliver a keynote speech at CES on Monday evening at 9:30 PM Eastern Time. CEO Lisa Su is expected to unveil a new generation of PC chips aimed at AI computing and graphics processing.

It is worth noting that AMD recently announced a long-term partnership worth billions of dollars with OpenAI for the next-generation MI400 chip. According to the agreement, some MI400 chips will begin deployment within this year, and the collaboration is expected to bring AMD hundreds of billions of dollars in cumulative revenue over the coming years.

Meanwhile, Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang also spoke at CES on Monday. He revealed that Nvidia's next-generation chips have now entered the "full-scale production" phase, and their computing performance can reach five times that of previous products when running large language models and generative AI applications.