AMD, Intel and a Very Interesting Job Listing
Every so often, a single job listing sets the tech world buzzing. That is exactly what happened when AMD posted a role asking for experience with taping out chips that use Intel’s PowerVia technology.
On the surface this sounds wild. AMD, long time rival of Intel in the CPU and PC gaming space, might be preparing to have some of its chips manufactured in Intel’s own fabs in the United States. That is the conclusion some observers on social media have jumped to after spotting Intel’s PowerVia name in AMD’s preferred experience list.
So what is really going on here, and why does this matter for PC hardware and future gaming performance?
What Is PowerVia and Why Does It Matter?
PowerVia is Intel’s brand name for a technology known more generally in the semiconductor industry as backside power delivery. Instead of routing power lines and power networks on the same side of the chip as the transistors and signal wires, backside power moves that power delivery network to the other side of the silicon.
In simple terms, imagine a CPU core as a multi storey car park. Right now the ramps and service tunnels are crammed in with the actual parking spaces. Backside power is like moving all the service tunnels underneath the building so the parking levels above can be laid out more cleanly and efficiently.
This can bring a few important benefits:
- Higher performance because signals have more room and less interference from power lines.
- Better efficiency thanks to shorter power paths and reduced resistance.
- More layout freedom for designers to pack in more transistors or optimize existing designs.
Intel plans to introduce PowerVia on its upcoming Intel 18A process node. Intel claims 18A will deliver either significantly higher performance or much better efficiency compared to its current leading edge nodes. For gamers and PC enthusiasts, that means future CPUs that can hit higher clocks or deliver the same performance at lower power, which is great for both desktops and laptops.
Could AMD Really Use Intel Fabs?
The jump people are making is straightforward. If AMD wants people who know how to tape out chips on Intel’s PowerVia enabled 18A process, perhaps it is preparing to send some of its own designs to Intel Foundry for manufacturing in the US.
Today AMD relies heavily on TSMC for its CPUs and GPUs, including the Ryzen processors and Radeon graphics cards that power a lot of gaming PCs and consoles. Intel meanwhile is trying to reinvent itself as a major contract manufacturer, offering its cutting edge nodes to outside customers rather than using them only for its own processors.
There are a few different possibilities here:
- AMD is seriously considering using Intel 18A for future chips and wants engineers who already understand Intel’s design rules, tools and PowerVia details so they can move quickly.
- AMD is evaluating Intel’s technology to see how it compares in practice to TSMC’s upcoming nodes. That does not guarantee AMD will use Intel, but it helps AMD keep its options open.
- AMD is improving its bargaining position with TSMC. If AMD can credibly show that it understands and could use Intel’s nodes, it gains leverage in negotiations over prices, capacity and timelines with TSMC.
Remember that TSMC is also working on its own version of backside power for its future A16 node, expected to go into volume production late next year. On paper that means Intel is first to market with backside power, but only by a fairly small margin. AMD can point to Intel’s readiness as a reason for TSMC to move quickly and offer competitive terms.
Is Intel Really Ahead This Time?
This is where things get subtle. Intel has a history of announcing new process nodes and then struggling to deliver them at scale. The 10 nanometer saga is the classic example. Intel did technically ship a 10 nm product, Cannon Lake, in 2018. But it was a tiny, cut down CPU with no integrated graphics, produced in very limited quantities, mostly so Intel could say it had shipped 10 nm.
Real 10 nm CPUs in meaningful volume did not arrive until Ice Lake in late 2019. It took until Alder Lake in 2021 for Intel to move a large chunk of its desktop CPU lineup to what was then called Intel 7, effectively a more mature 10 nm class process.
Given that history, there are open questions about Intel 18A and PowerVia:
- Will yields be high enough for big complex chips like high core count CPUs or APUs?
- Can Intel provide the consistency and volume an external giant like AMD or Apple would demand?
- Will the real world performance and efficiency match the marketing slides?
Intel says its upcoming Panther Lake CPUs will use 18A with PowerVia and should arrive early next year. Those chips will be an important test of whether 18A is truly ready for prime time or more of an early, internal focused launch like Cannon Lake.
What This Means for PC Gamers and Enthusiasts
For now there is no confirmation that an AMD CPU or GPU will be fabbed by Intel. The job listing is a signal, not a signed deal. Still, the potential impact on the PC world is huge if it happens.
If AMD were to use Intel’s 18A with PowerVia for a future Ryzen or APU line, gamers could see:
- Higher performance per watt in gaming laptops, making thin and light machines that still deliver solid frame rates more common.
- Higher core counts or boosted clocks in desktops thanks to improved power delivery and transistor density.
- More competition at the foundry level, which can speed up innovation and adoption of new manufacturing tech across the whole industry.
Even if AMD never actually tapes out a product at Intel, just the possibility forces TSMC and Intel to fight harder for customers. That competition is generally good news for PC gamers, streamers and creators who rely on faster, more efficient CPUs and GPUs every generation.
So the job ad itself is not proof that AMD chips will roll off Intel production lines. But it is a sign that the old boundaries in the CPU wars are blurring. In a world where chip manufacturing is brutally expensive and technically extreme, your fiercest rival today might be your manufacturing partner tomorrow. And that could lead to some very interesting hardware for all of us building gaming rigs and performance PCs in the years ahead.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/processors/amd-wants-to-hire-people-with-experience-of-intels-new-silicon-tech-but-would-amd-ever-actually-make-chips-with-its-arch-rival/
