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Comment by osnium123 | Hacker News Reader

Great news and arguably these are the most advanced semiconductors being produced in the United States today.

Wikipedia lists Intel 3 is roughly the same tech level as TSMC 3nm [1], but without listing transistor density. Intel is producing the Xeon 6 using Intel 3 [2]. So arguably Intel has a more advanced process in the USA than TSMC, which is doing 4nm in the USA next year. Intel's production is probably not very high.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_nm_process#cite_note-74

[2] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/details/pro...

TSMC 3nm is a double digit percentage denser. Intel 3 is closer to TSMC 5nm

Citation?

(Not intended as a snipe. I honestly just don't know where to look for that kinda info.)

Wikichip is my go to (which is down right now for me unfortunately). It’s important to look at the latest data because Intel’s internal nodes real specs have not met the stated expectations recently

I'm not refuting the statement, only pointing out that density is not the only factor.

Unfortunately, these numbers are arbitrary and companies are guessing what performs about like what based on numerous factors. Often wrongly - Samsung's equivalents were so bad Qualcomm pretty much abandoned them, and for good reason. Anyone who used an Exynos or SD888 understands why.

I feel like we should have landed on a better tracking system now, like perf/watt, but here we are.

>these numbers are arbitrary

Seeing as Intel 7 is formerly Intel 10nm, there is at least a reasonable argument in that Intel's number is one size(?) smaller than it should be.

It's equally likely Intel realized it performed as well as Samsung/TSMC "7". Which is the whole issue, we'll never really know.

IIRC it was the other way around.

That was before Intel renamed their process nodes. They went from being 1 node more dense to being 1 node less dense with their new naming scheme. You need Intel 4 to match TSMC 5nm.

Is Intel 3 manufactured in the US or Ireland? https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/newsroom/news/new-fa...

Also, it depends on the metrics but TSMC’s N4 is a mainstream foundry logic node. Who is using Intel 4/3 outside of Intel?

Looks like both according to this quote:

> Our Intel 3 is in high volume manufacturing in our Oregon and Ireland factories

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/intel-3-3nm-class...

These are 4nm facilities. Intel’s 18A process is more advanced. Hopefully it will turn out well. If not, that is the end of Intel.

>Intel’s 18A process is more advanced.

Can be, not "is". I will believe them when I see it.

Maybe ...

But for those living close to the plant, I'm not so sure:

"Environmental, and public health groups, including the Sierra Club, are urging President Joe Biden to veto a controversial bill that exempts most semiconductor companies applying for federal CHIPS Act funding from having to complete essential environmental reviews, as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA."

“Exempting the semiconductor industry from NEPA is completely unwarranted, especially considering the projected significant increase use of PFAS and other toxic chemicals by the industry and their track record of releasing these dangerous chemicals into the air and water surrounding the facilities,” said Tom Fox, Senior Legislative Counsel at the Center for Environmental Health"

https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2024/10/environmen...

NEPA doesn't govern any releases: that's done by the EPA under clean Air and clean water act.

Having lived next to the Motorola EPA superfund site, and more recently closer to the TSMC site, I find no consolation in your reply. The lack of transparency and accountability is too great.

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