Intel Achieves a New Milestone with the Intel 3 Node | Hardware Computer List | Cpu Hardware List and Functions | Gpu Example | Turtles AI

Intel achieves a new milestone with the Intel 3 node: advanced performance and large-scale production.

Intel has announced a significant technological milestone with the Intel 3 process node, promising substantial improvements in performance and transistor density. This technology is crucial for the evolution of the next-generation Xeon processors, Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest, scheduled for launch in 2024.

In 2021, Intel outlined an ambitious innovation path called "five nodes in four years" (5N4Y), aiming to regain technological leadership in the semiconductor sector. This path included the development of nodes like Intel 4, which introduced EUV lithography, and now the Intel 3 node, representing a significant step forward in performance and density.

The Intel 3 node offers up to an 18% improvement in performance at the same power consumption compared to the previous generation, Intel 4. Additionally, it ensures a 10% higher density, thanks to the optimization of high-density standard cell libraries. High-volume production is already underway at R&D sites in Oregon and the Leixlip, Ireland plant, where chips for Xeon 6 processors are being manufactured.

The Intel 3 node features four main variants, designed for different applications and to mitigate the risks associated with developing new technologies. The 3-T variant, for instance, uses through-silicon vias (TSVs) for 3D stacking applications, crucial for image processing and high-performance computing. The 3-E variant adds a rich set of I/O for external interfaces and analog and mixed-signal functionalities, while the 3-PT variant combines all these innovations with further performance enhancements and hybrid bonding options for high-density 3D stacking.

These technological developments not only mark significant progress for Intel but also represent a turning point for the entire semiconductor industry, pushing the limits of computing capabilities and opening new opportunities for AI and advanced computing. Intel’s roadmap includes further evolutions with the Intel 20A and 18A nodes, introducing technologies like RibbonFET and PowerVia, offering improvements in performance and energy efficiency.

Highlights:

• 18% superior performance at the same power consumption compared to Intel 4.
• 10% improved density, thanks to new high-density cell libraries.
• High-volume production in Oregon and Ireland for Xeon 6 processors.
• Four variants of the Intel 3 node, each designed for specific applications with incremental improvements.