Nvidia and Broadcom are both testing chips using Intel's new 18A manufacturing process, reports sources to Reuters, indicating that these well-known projects continue. Intel's 18A process is the company's first fabrication technology to rely on gate-all-around RibbonFET transistors and a backside power delivery network named PowerVia. The Intel 18A process is broadly comparable to TSMC's N2 node. However, 18A is thought to be faster, while N2 is a denser chip.
Reuters sources suggest that both Nvidia and Broadcom's tests are not being conducted on complete chip designs, but the companies want to understand how 18A works in both behavior and performance. It's common to test processors before committing to purchasing them outright.
