Discussion Zen 7 speculation thread

[511]

IMEC Has A7 node being the first gen of CFET which is due about 2031 (probably 2032 realistically) and subsequently A5 in 2033 (again 2034 most likely).

Hold on a second here IMEC Roadmap is not practical for commercialization . It says N2 2024 and A14 2026 we are gretting N2 in 2025-6 and A14 2028-9

 

[dangerman1337]

Hold on a second here IMEC Roadmap is not practical for commercialization . It says N2 2024 and A14 2026 we are gretting N2 in 2025-6 and A14 2028-9View attachment 128779

They have a more recent one:

https://www.eetimes.com/vlsi-2025-outer-wall-forksheet-bridges-nanosheet-and-cfet-architectures/

https://www.imec-int.com/sites/default/files/2025-01/Figure%201%20-%20Imec%20roadmap.png

So yeah A7 being HVM hopefully in 2032 is plausible.

 

[Doug S]

So yeah A7 being HVM hopefully in 2032 is plausible.

Meh, I think we have to accept we're probably moving to three year cycles. With nodes getting more expensive more and more customers are going to want to amortize their design/mask costs for longer periods, and the gains of a "major node" continue to shrink. So instead of major node at time+0y, followed by a 'P' version at time+1y, followed by the next major node at time+2y, we'll start to see two 'P' type nodes before the next major node.

This is arguably already the case and we just haven't acknowledged it yet. Apple is doing its third iPhone with an N3 family node, and N2 ships in volume in 2026 and all indications are that A14 won't ship in volume until 2029.

IMEC doesn't exactly have a good track record with their roadmaps. Still waiting on 450mm wafers lol