Intel Validates 18A Turnaround with Major Apple Win and Near Sell-Out Demand
Jan 15, 2026 (24 hr ago)
Positive
Intel validates its manufacturing roadmap with the successful launch of 18A chips, securing Apple as a key customer and seeing unprecedented demand.
18A Technology Validation and Immediate Market Success
- Intel launched its first chips built on the 18A process, claiming they outperform predecessors by 60% in multithreaded workloads and 77% in gaming3
- The AI buildout is driving unprecedented demand for CPUs, leading Intel to report being "almost sold out for the year" currently3
- The new Core Ultra Series 3 processors, built on 18A, promise up to 27 hours of battery life and better overall value for consumers1
Strategic Customer Adoption and Product Positioning
- Intel has onboarded Apple as an 18A-P customer, which plans to use the advanced node to manufacture chips for its low-end Macs and iPads3
- The Core Ultra Series 3 is designed to power a broad spectrum of consumer and commercial AI PCs and edge solutions2
- These new processors can run major resource-intensive games without requiring dedicated GPUs, a significant feat for integrated graphics1
Competitive Landscape and Operational Headwinds
- The 18A launch is a major bet intended to regain consumer and enterprise trust after ceding market share to AMD1
- Intel faces intensifying competition in server, storage, and networking markets, as AMD expects to capture up to 40% of PC market revenue over the next five years1, 2
- Key concerns remain regarding the delay of chips based on the 7 nm process (renamed Intel 4) and the company's high existing debt levels2
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Amid the AI boom, Intel is focusing on the basics
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