Latest news with #chiptechnology
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Yahoo
Intel claims 18A, the node Pat bet the company on, is either 25% faster or 38% more efficient than Intel 3. Though that's a node Intel didn't have enough faith in to release for desktops or laptops
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Intel has been deep diving on its upcoming 18A chip node at the VLSI Symposium in Japan. And if the company's claims are to be believed, 18A is looking pretty sweet. Among other factoids, Intel says it's either up to 25% faster at the same power level, or up to 38% more efficient at the same frequency compared with the Intel 3 node. That's very promising for laptop battery life in particular. Of course, Intel 3 is a node of which we have absolutely zero experience. That's because Intel has never used Intel 3 for a consumer chip, choosing instead to go with TSMC's N3 node for both its Lunar Lake laptop chip and latest Arrow Lake desktop and mobile CPU family, as used for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. The most advanced Intel node in the PC is Intel 7, which is a rebrand of Intel's infamous 10nm technology, which ended up arriving the better part of a decade late. Anyway, what to make of these claims from Intel? Specifically and compared to Intel 3, Intel says that in low voltage 0.65 V operation, 18A is either 18% faster or 38% more efficient, while in high voltage 1.1 V mode, it's 25% faster or 36% more efficient. In other words, in low voltage mode you can either run the same clock speed as Intel 3 and use 38% less power, or use the same power and enjoy 18% faster clocks. Meanwhile, in the high performance, high voltage mode, you can choose between either 25% higher clocks for the same power consumption as Intel 3 or the same clocks with 36% lower consumption. Any way you slice it, these are very nice numbers. It's just hard to draw too many conclusions given the scarcity of comparable Intel chips on the Intel 3 node. For now, it's only the Xeon 6 Granite Rapids server CPU, launched earlier this year, that's built on Intel 3. Moreover, the fact that Intel passed over Intel 3 for Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake hardly seems like a vote of confidence in its own manufacturing tech. The point being that Intel also made some bullish claims about Intel 3 and an 18% performance-per-watt increase over Intel 4, but it seems like we'll never get an Intel 3 chip in a PC. What's more, even if these claims are accurate, there's the question of yields. Can Intel actually produce 18A chips at scale? Answers to all these questions will presumably come later this year when the Panther Lake mobile CPU with an 18A CPU die is supposed to be released. If Intel's numbers are accurate, Panther Lake ought to be a much more efficient laptop CPU, enabling clearly improved battery life. At least, that's compared to Intel 3. Exactly how 18A compares with TSMC N3, which is the node used by Intel for Lunar Lake's CPU cores is a separate matter. The takeaway here, then, is that this is all very complicated. Intel has released some very promising numbers. But they involve comparison with another Intel node which itself is only available in a range of server chips and it's unclear how 18A stacks up against TSMC's competing technology. The proof will be in the processing, so to speak, when Panther Lake arrives at the end of this year. It's been a long time coming, but no CPU has ever felt as critical for Intel as Panther Lake.
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Qualcomm vs. AMD: Which Chipmaker Offers Stronger Growth in 2025?
Qualcomm Technologies Inc. QCOM and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. AMD are premier chip manufacturing firms competing in the mobile, PC and data center markets, with a focus on AI (artificial intelligence) and advanced chip technologies. Qualcomm's offering includes high-performance, low-power chip designs for mobile devices, PCs, XR (Extended Reality), automotive, wearable, robotics, connectivity and AI use cases. The company boasts a comprehensive intellectual property portfolio comprising 3G, 4G, 5G and other Micro has strengthened its position in the semiconductor market, thanks to its evolution from a purebred consumer-PC chip provider to an enterprise-focused company. Its processors are primarily powered by the company's proprietary "Zen" CPU and "Vega" GPU architectures. The company's acquisition of Xilinx has helped in expanding into multiple embedded markets. AMD now offers Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Adaptive SoCs and Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform (ACAP) products. With growing AI proliferation in PCs, smartphones, automotive and IoT applications, both Qualcomm and Advanced Micro are steadily advancing their semiconductor portfolio to bolster their competitive edge. Let us analyze in depth the competitive strengths and weaknesses of the companies to understand who is in a better position to maximize gains from the emerging market trends. Qualcomm is well-positioned to meet its long-term revenue targets driven by solid 5G traction, greater visibility and a diversified revenue stream. The company is increasingly focusing on the seamless transition from a wireless communications firm for the mobile industry to a connected processor company for the intelligent edge. The recent introduction of Qualcomm X85 5G Modem-RF, powered by Qualcomm's 5G AI Processor, has taken the market by storm by delivering one of the fastest, battery efficient and consistent 5G connectivity to Android users. The company is strengthening its foothold in the mobile chipsets market with innovative product launches. It had extended its Snapdragon G Series portfolio with the addition of next-generation gaming chipsets, Snapdragon G3 Gen 3, Snapdragon G2 Gen 2 and Snapdragon G1 Gen 2 chips. Qualcomm is also placing strong emphasis on developing advanced chipsets for the emerging market of AI PCs. The strategy is aimed at moving beyond the slowing smartphone industry, which is its primary breadwinner. The Snapdragon X chip for mid-range AI desktops and laptops is the fourth such product in the Snapdragon X processor line, following the successful launch of the Snapdragon X Plus 8-core, Snapdragon X Plus and Snapdragon X Elite efforts to ramp up its AI initiatives, Qualcomm has been facing tough competition from Intel Corporation INTC in the AI PC market. Shift in the share among original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) at the premium tier has reduced Qualcomm's near-term opportunity to sell integrated chipsets from the Snapdragon platform. The company is also facing stiff competition from Samsung's Exynos processors in the premium smartphone market, while MediaTek is gaining market share in the mid-range and budget smartphone market. Competition is also likely to come from formidable rivals like Broadcom and NVIDIA Corporation NVDA. Qualcomm's extensive operations in China are further likely to be significantly affected by the U.S.-China trade hostilities. AMD is strengthening its footprint in the AI market through an expanding portfolio. The latest MI300 series accelerator family boosts its competitive position in the generative AI space. The accelerator is based on AMD CDNA 3 accelerator architecture and supports up to 192 GB of HBM3 memory, enabling efficient running of large language model training (up to 80 billion parameters) and inference for generative AI workloads. It is also benefiting from strong enterprise adoption and expanded cloud addition, strength in 7-nanometer-based processors is expected to strengthen the company's competitive position in the commercial and server market against Intel. AMD is currently leveraging Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's 7 nm process technology, which is enabling it to deliver its advanced 7 nm chips faster to market. AMD Radeon RX 7900 series chiplet design combines 5 nm and 6 nm process nodes, each optimized for specific chips in the in the traditional computing market, which still generates a chunk of its revenues, AMD is up against Intel's strong market position. With Intel systems so well entrenched, there is an obvious preference for system integrators to choose Intel processors over AMD. Moreover, AMD faces significant competition from NVIDIA in the GPU market. AMD has had relatively greater success in the mobile segment, and its current product lineup indicates that this focus will continue. However, competition in the mobile segment is likely to accelerate, with more ARM-based devices coming on the market. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Qualcomm's 2025 sales and EPS implies year-over-year growth of 11.8% and 14.6%, respectively. The EPS estimates have been trending southward on average over the past 60 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Advanced Micro's 2025 sales suggests year-over-year growth of 23.1%, while that for EPS implies a rise of 18.4%. The EPS estimates have been trending southward over the past 60 days. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Over the past year, Qualcomm has declined 27.7% against the industry's growth of 12.5%. Advanced Micro has lost 21.5% over the same period. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Qualcomm looks more attractive than Advanced Micro from a valuation standpoint. Going by the price/earnings ratio, Qualcomm's shares currently trade at 12.95 forward earnings, significantly lower than 26.72 for Advanced Micro. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research Qualcomm and Advanced Micro carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks companies expect their sales and profits to improve in 2025. Advanced Micro has shown steady revenue and EPS growth for years, while Qualcomm has been facing a bumpy road. With a better price performance and healthy long-term earnings growth expectations of 24.5%, Advanced Micro is relatively better placed than Qualcomm (long-term earnings growth expectations of 8.2%), although the former is a bit expensive in terms of valuation. Consequently, Advanced Micro seems to be a better investment option at the moment. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Intel Corporation (INTC) : Free Stock Analysis Report QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) : Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
15-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Taiwan adds China's Huawei, SMIC to export control list
TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's government has added China's Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to its export control list, which includes other proscribed organisations like the Taliban and al Qaeda. Inclusion on the economy ministry's trade administration's strategic high-tech commodities entity list means Taiwanese companies will need government approval before exporting any products to the companies. The companies were included in an updated version of the ministry's trade administration's website late on Saturday. Neither company nor the economy ministry immediately responded to requests for comment outside of office hours at the weekend. Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a major supplier of chips to AI darling Nvidia. Both Huawei and SMIC have been working hard to catch up in the chip technology race. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the strong objections of Taipei's government, already has tight chip export controls when it comes to Taiwanese companies either manufacturing in the country or supplying Chinese firms. Huawei, which is at the centre of China's AI ambitions, is on a U.S. Commerce Department trade list that essentially bars it from receiving U.S. goods and technology, as well as foreign-made goods such as chips from companies like TSMC made with U.S. technology. Last October, TechInsights, a Canadian tech research firm, took apart Huawei's 910B AI processor and found a TSMC chip in it. The multi-chip 910B is viewed as the most advanced AI accelerator mass-produced by a Chinese company. TSMC suspended shipments to China-based chip designer Sophgo, whose chip matched the one in the Huawei 910B and, in November the U.S. Commerce Department ordered TSMC to halt shipments of more chips to Chinese customers. Taiwan's government has also repeatedly vowed to crack down on what it says are efforts by Chinese companies, including SMIC, to steal technology and entice chip talent away from the island. SMIC is China's largest chipmaker and has ramped up investment to expand production capacity and strengthen China's domestic semiconductor capability in the face of sweeping U.S. export controls.
CNA
15-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Taiwan adds China's Huawei, SMIC to export control list
TAIPEI: Taiwan's government has added China's Huawei Technologies and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) to its export control list, which includes other proscribed organisations like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Inclusion on the economy ministry's trade administration's strategic high-tech commodities entity list means Taiwanese companies will need government approval before exporting any products to the companies. The companies were included in an updated version of the ministry's trade administration's website late on Saturday. 02:31 Min Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a major supplier of chips to AI darling Nvidia. Both Huawei and SMIC have been working hard to catch up in the chip technology race. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the strong objections of Taipei's government, already has tight chip export controls when it comes to Taiwanese companies either manufacturing in the country or supplying Chinese firms. Huawei, which is at the centre of China's AI ambitions, is on a US Commerce Department trade list that essentially bars it from receiving US goods and technology, as well as foreign-made goods such as chips from companies like TSMC made with US technology. Last October, TechInsights, a Canadian tech research firm, took apart Huawei's 910B AI processor and found a TSMC chip in it. The multi-chip 910B is viewed as the most advanced AI accelerator mass-produced by a Chinese company. TSMC suspended shipments to China-based chip designer Sophgo, whose chip matched the one in the Huawei 910B and in November, the US Commerce Department ordered TSMC to halt shipments of more chips to Chinese customers.
Reuters
15-06-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Taiwan adds China's Huawei, SMIC to export control list
TAIPEI, June 15 (Reuters) - Taiwan's government has added China's Huawei Technologies ( and Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp (SMIC) ( opens new tab to its export control list, which includes other proscribed organisations like the Taliban and al Qaeda. Inclusion on the economy ministry's trade administration's strategic high-tech commodities entity list means Taiwanese companies will need government approval before exporting any products to the companies. The companies were included in an updated version of the ministry's trade administration's website late on Saturday. Neither company nor the economy ministry immediately responded to requests for comment outside of office hours at the weekend. Taiwan is home to TSMC ( opens new tab, the world's largest contract chipmaker and a major supplier of chips to AI darling Nvidia (NVDA.O), opens new tab. Both Huawei and SMIC have been working hard to catch up in the chip technology race. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory despite the strong objections of Taipei's government, already has tight chip export controls when it comes to Taiwanese companies either manufacturing in the country or supplying Chinese firms. Huawei, which is at the centre of China's AI ambitions, is on a U.S. Commerce Department trade list that essentially bars it from receiving U.S. goods and technology, as well as foreign-made goods such as chips from companies like TSMC made with U.S. technology. Last October, TechInsights, a Canadian tech research firm, took apart Huawei's 910B AI processor and found a TSMC chip in it. The multi-chip 910B is viewed as the most advanced AI accelerator mass-produced by a Chinese company. TSMC suspended shipments to China-based chip designer Sophgo, whose chip matched the one in the Huawei 910B and, in November the U.S. Commerce Department ordered TSMC to halt shipments of more chips to Chinese customers. Taiwan's government has also repeatedly vowed to crack down on what it says are efforts by Chinese companies, including SMIC, to steal technology and entice chip talent away from the island. SMIC is China's largest chipmaker and has ramped up investment to expand production capacity and strengthen China's domestic semiconductor capability in the face of sweeping U.S. export controls.
