誰說Intel弱，我跟誰急？

面對空頭唱衰Intel造晶成本競爭力不如TSMC，Intel多頭Jefferies & Co.大反擊，直言Haswell跟ARM處理器根本不是一檔次，拿兩者相比，簡直是GG比G腿。怎不拿Corvette跑車跟Prius混動車來比？Prius咋說也是跟同級的Volt較勁呀。


Toyota Prius（Qualcomm MSM8974）


Chevy Corvette（Intel Haswell）


Chevy Volt（Intel Atom）

Haswell是著重效能的PC級X86架構，Atom才是強調省電的行動裝置級X86架構，就如同ARM的定位。而兩種定位不同的架構註定在製程上是迴異的走向，不論是transistor或interconnect，難以相提並論。



Traditional Intel CPUs require fatter connections between transistors, which translates to less transistors per area (higher cost), and shorter battery life compared to mobile chips made by TSMC.

The new micro-architecture (Silvermont-22nm) has thinner transistor interconnects, which means a cheaper, lower power transistor. Bay Trail is Intel’s first MPU based on Silvermont; our analysis suggests it is cost competitive.



由相關財報數據與裸晶尺寸，Jefferies分析師交叉比對而得的結論是：
28nm的MSM8974在30~35鎂的ASP範圍，每mm²是0.057~0.073鎂；
22nm的Bay Trail-T在20~25鎂的ASP範圍，每mm²是0.063~0.075鎂。
亦即成本差異在2~10%之間。

另外，Jefferies不忘唱衰TSMC一把。

Samsung recently overtook Taiwan Semi on cost versus performance, and is much better positioned to invest in manufacturing upgrades. I see potential for a "downward spiral" at Taiwan Semi, leaving Intel and Samsung as industry leaders.
- Sundeep Bajikar of Jefferies & Co.@Barron's