Intel Eyes Samsung’s Revived 8nm Technology for Future Chips

Intel may outsource chip production to Samsung using technology dating back to 2018. Samsung Foundry is reportedly in the final stages of ramping up mass production of the Intel Platform Controller Hub chip with the 8nm process. The PCH is a chip collaborating with the processor in PCs and servers, handling numerous tasks like data input and output as well as device management. Previously, Intel manufactured such chips using the 14nm process, so transitioning directly to 8nm will make them noticeably more energy-efficient. Interestingly, Samsung had also been the manufacturer of these chips earlier.

This move indicates that Samsung’s 8nm process appears to be getting a second life. Previously, Nintendo selected it for producing the platform for Switch 2, and now Intel plans to shift its PCH chips onto it. Samsung’s production capacity for this technology is estimated to be between 30,000 to 40,000 wafers per month. This volume is sufficient for Samsung to swiftly scale up production if additional clients wish to utilize this process.