Intel has achieved a significant milestone with its cutting-edge Intel 18A process node, set to power the upcoming Panther Lake client CPUs and Clearwater Forest server CPUs. Both Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest have successfully left the lab, booting into an operating system, marking a crucial step forward in their development. This progress, accomplished within six months of taping out, signifies that Intel is on track for production in 2025.

This milestone means Intel's silicon development is proceeding as planned. The new Intel 18A process node, featuring innovative RibbonFET and PowerVia technologies, is also being deployed for an external customer, with the first chips expected to tape out in 2025.

The next-gen Panther Lake CPUs are set to debut as the Core Ultra 300 series, following the release of the Core Ultra 200 series (Arrow Lake) later this year and the Core Ultra 200V series (Lunar Lake) shortly thereafter. Panther Lake CPUs will offer up to 16 cores and 12 Xe3-GPU cores, primarily targeting mobile devices, with no desktop variants expected. Dell is anticipated to be among the first to incorporate this new architecture into its products by 2026.

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger shared on X: "Panther Lake and Clearwater Forest, lead products on Intel 18A, are out of the fab, powered on, have booted operating systems, and are on track to start production next year. Additionally, Intel 18A has brought together two critical innovations to enable customers to make leaps in scale and power efficiency: RibbonFET gate-all-around and PowerVia backside power technology - an industry first for foundry customers."

He added, "I'm proud of the team's progress. Intel Foundry will continue to fuel next-gen innovation for our customers and pave the way for the first systems foundry for the AI era."