«Intel 18A is now ready.» So proclaims a new landing page on Intel's website for the company's all-important new 18A chip production node.
But what does it mean for the PC? We already knew that Intel's next laptop chip, Panther Lake, is due to be made, at least in part, on the new 18A node.
That's supposed to be going into volume production later this year, though we're not expecting 18A-powered laptops until early 2026.
Intel's next desktop CPU, codenamed Nova Lake, is likewise a 2026 product according to Intel. So, what to make of Intel's claims of immediate 18A readiness?
The new web portal is arguably more aimed at customers for its nascent foundry business than bigging up its own chips. «Intel 18A is now ready for customer projects with the tape outs beginning in the first half of 2025,» the website says.