Intel to Increase Proportion of In-House Crystals in Nova Lake Processor Production

Back in early February, Intel representatives admitted that they would combine the use of their own crystals with those processed by TSMC when producing Nova Lake processors next year. Now the company’s management explains that the share of its own products will increase by that time.

Image Source: Intel

Intel has historically processed up to 70% of its wafers through its own facilities, and Michelle Johnston Holthaus, the company’s head of product, confirmed to analysts at an earnings call yesterday that that target remains the same.

«One of our strengths is our ability to source our products. We source them from TSMC, Samsung, and Intel. In the case of Nova Lake, we have optimized our product mix at the model level in terms of process technology. In the case of Nova Lake, you will see products from TSMC as well as products from Intel. In general, Nova Lake will be producing more wafers on Intel processes than we are doing for Panther Lake,” explained Michelle Johnston Holthouse. She added that the goal of increasing the proportion of wafers processed in-house remains unchanged.

The unexpected mention of Samsung among Intel’s chip contractors did not receive any comments from the company’s management, but it is important to consider that the RAM built into the Meteor Lake processor packaging is manufactured by this South Korean company. Perhaps this type of cooperation was enough to include Samsung among Intel’s contractors in the field of contract crystal manufacturing.

Intel has not yet officially explained what lithographic technology it will use in the production of Nova Lake processors. However, the day before, Taiwanese media reported on Intel’s intentions to entrust TSMC with the production of crystals for these processors using 2 nm technology. At the same time, Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan noted at a quarterly conference that he had recently met with TSMC founder Morris Chang and current CEO C.C. Wei, calling both his old friends. During their recent meeting, as the head of Intel admitted, they discussed the possibility of cooperation with TSMC, including the future period, which implies the release of chips using Intel 14A technology. It is possible that the latter will find application in the production of Nova Lake processors as an alternative to TSMC’s 2 nm process technology.