If you're looking for the hyperscaler big bottleneck of 2027/2028 to get ahead of, it's advanced packaging and high-NA EUV.
TL;DR: Intel's 18A process is in production, 14A is on track to beat TSMC to High-NA EUV, TSMC's CoWoS packaging is sold out through 2027 and Intel has spare capacity (with Google confirmed as a buyer for TPU v8), FCF turned positive
## 18A is already in volume manufacturing.
* Panther Lake (laptop CPUs) ships January 2026.
* Defect density dropped below 0.40/cm² and is still improving.
* First process to combine RibbonFET (gate-all-around transistors) AND PowerVia (backside power delivery) in production.
* Technically competitive with TSMC N2, which just started ramping.
CES will be a nice early catalyst next week.
## 14A: The Real Prize
* 14A PDK already distributed to lead customers. Real production will ramp in 2027.
* First node to use High-NA EUV lithography—TSMC's competing A14 isn't expected until 2028.
* GF Securities research (December 2025): "High likelihood that Nvidia and AMD server SKUs will use Intel 14A."
## EMIB: The Packaging Angle Everyone's Sleeping On
TSMC's CoWoS advanced packaging is completely sold out through 2027. Nvidia has locked up over half the capacity. Google reportedly cut 2026 TPU production from 4M to 3M units because they couldn't get packaging slots.
Enter Intel's EMIB (Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge):
* Uses silicon bridges instead of full interposers—cheaper, more flexible, better for inference chips and ASICs.
* Intel scaling New Mexico packaging capacity: +30% EMIB, +150% Foveros.
* Reports indicate AWS, MediaTek, Broadcom, and potentially Apple are exploring Intel packaging.
* Intel can package TSMC-fabbed dies. You don't need to move your wafers to Intel to use their back-end.
* Already leaked that Google is going to use EMIB for TPU v8
This is pure incremental revenue with minimal risk. The capacity exists, the tech is proven (shipping since 2017), and demand is there because TSMC literally cannot supply it.
Forward P/E ~15.6x vs Nvidia 37x, AMD 29x.
Position:
Leveraged nana's inheritance for INTC 1/21/2028 C $37