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Intel has announced a six-month delay in the release of its 7nm process, giving TSMC, the leading wafer foundry, an opportunity to benefit from Intel’s expanded outsourcing production. Competitor AMD also maintains a competitive advantage due to Intel’s delay in 7nm, resulting in a significant increase in stock prices for both companies. However, the reasons for Intel’s delay in the 7nm process include issues in technology, talent, and management. Market analysts believe that the development of advanced processes requires increasingly large amounts of funding, forcing Intel to be more cautious in its development at each node.
According to research firm IBS, in the past, the cost of developing a chip from design to tape-out for the 28nm process was approximately $51.3 million, about 360 million RMB. For the 16nm process, it reached $100 million, about 700 million RMB, and for the more advanced 10nm, it was $174 million. Currently, the mainstream 7nm process costs around $300 million. TSMC, Intel, and Samsung are all expected to develop advanced processes below 5nm, with development costs rising significantly. The cost for 5nm is about $436 million, while the astonishing cost for 3nm reaches $650 million, approximately 4.5 billion RMB.IBS points out that these development costs only cover the design phase, from the start of design to tape-out. If subsequent production costs are included, the price will continue to rise, making it difficult for most companies worldwide to bear. However, as development costs soar, chip performance continues to improve. According to TSMC’s official data, moving from the 7nm node to the 5nm node increases transistor density by 80%, while power consumption decreases by 30%, enhancing the performance of end products.Currently, only three companies globally—TSMC, Intel, and Samsung—are engaged in advanced process development, all proposing massive capital expenditures. TSMC has raised its capital expenditure for 2020 from a maximum of $16 billion to $17 billion. Samsung has stated that by 2030, its investment in logic chips will reach 133 trillion KRW (approximately $10.77 billion). Intel has also announced plans to increase its capital expenditure to $15 billion. As R&D costs rise, chip prices are also increasing, leading to higher prices for end products. With the global economy not yet fully recovered, the return on investment remains uncertain, making development increasingly challenging.Source: EETOP, compiled from IBS and Technology News.Recommended Reading:
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