Intel Postpones Orders for 3 nm Wafers from TSMC, Delaying “Arrow Lake” Release Till 2025?

DigiTimes, a Taiwan-based industry watchdog, has learned from sources in PC makers that Intel has postponed its purchases for 3 nm wafers from TSMC. The wafers, which were constructed on the TSMC N3 node, were intended to power the iGPU-equipped graphics tiles of the future “Arrow Lake” processors, which were initially scheduled for availability in 2024. According to a DigiTimes report on this change, Intel’s orders for 3 nm wafers have been postponed until Q4-2024, which practically translates to a 2025 launch for whatever device was intended to use 3 nm tiles. High-volume clients like Intel typically put advance orders for next-generation wafers many quarters in ahead so that the foundry can appropriately ramp up its capacity.