Intel locks in 2028 for its 1.4nm-class chip production

Intel committed to high-volume 14A manufacturing in 2028 as quarterly revenue rose 25% year-over-year to $16.1 billion.

Intel has committed to high-volume production of its 14A process — a 1.4nm-class node — in 2028, with risk production for internal products still on track for the second half of 2027. CEO Lip-Bu Tan said the decision to fully commit to the high-volume ramp was made in the second quarter. The announcement came alongside Q2 2026 revenue of $16.1 billion, up 25% year-over-year and $1.8 billion above the midpoint of Intel's own guidance.

The financial picture is mixed. Intel posted a GAAP loss of $11 billion, driven largely by $13.6 billion in mark-to-market losses on escrowed shares tied to a CHIPS Act agreement with the US government, but non-GAAP net income was $2.2 billion and GAAP gross margin climbed to 40.1% from 27.5% a year earlier. Data Center and AI revenue rose 59% to $6.3 billion; foundry revenue rose 31% but still ran a $2.1 billion operating loss.

Keeping the advanced-node curve advancing matters for abundance because each generation packs more compute into the same power and cost envelope, which eventually makes computation cheaper and more widely available. A credible second leading-edge manufacturer also reduces the world's dependence on a single supplier.

The caveats are real. The 2028 14A output is for Intel's own products, not external customers — and Intel reportedly has no external 14A commitments yet. "Second half of 2028" could mean products slipping into 2029, and Intel's development fab has a history of calling low-volume runs high-volume manufacturing.

Source: Tom's Hardware