Intel's next-generation 14A manufacturing process is reducing chip defects faster than any node the company has developed since its highly regarded 22-nanometer technology from the early 2010s, Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner told investors this week, as the chipmaker also reported increasingly concrete interest from potential foundry customers.
Zinsner made the comments during a fireside chat with Deutsche Bank analyst Melissa Weathers at the bank's 2026 Technology Conference on Aug. 26. "When you look at the defect density, 14A is tracking better than the target curve we had for 14A," Zinsner said, according to a transcript reported by Tom's Hardware. "It is also doing better than any of the previous nodes in terms of how quickly we are bringing down the defects. In fact, we have not seen this performance since 22nm, which is arguably one of the best nodes Intel has ever put out."
