Intel’s January: A Process, and a Sigh of Relief

Intel’s been a bit like a family member struggling with a mid-life crisis. A lot of grand pronouncements, some questionable purchases, and a general air of being slightly behind the curve. Pat Gelsinger, the former CEO, laid out this ambitious “five nodes in four years” plan. Sounded good on paper. My father had a similar plan for his vegetable garden, involving heirloom tomatoes and a complex irrigation system. It lasted approximately three weeks. But Intel, surprisingly, started to deliver. The Panther Lake CPU, built on this 18A node, was the first real test. A lot was riding on it, more than just stock prices. It was a matter of pride, really. A sort of “we used to be good at this” statement.








