Intel is reportedly exploring the possibility of resuming production of older CPU generations, including its 10th generation Comet Lake processors from 2020 and extending to newer iterations of Raptor Lake from 2023. This potential move would place Intel in line with AMD and Nvidia, both of whom have recently taken steps to reintroduce older hardware to the market.
The news originates from a machine translation of a Chinese outlet, IT Home, which cited information from the rumor site BoBantang. While such rumors should be approached with caution, Intel has previously indicated a commitment to supporting older platforms. At Computex, Intel stated its intention to make older CPUs more readily available and to maintain support for DDR4 memory. This aligns with statements from motherboard and memory manufacturers who confirmed at the same event that they were considering shifting production back to DDR4-compatible platforms.
Nvidia has also signaled a willingness to revive older graphics cards to address hardware shortages. Jensen Huang, Nvidia's CEO, has previously stated the company could "possibly" bring back older GPUs. This week saw new production runs of the RTX 3060 become available in Europe, though pricing remains a consideration.
AMD has already implemented a similar strategy. The company reintroduced the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, specifically for DDR4 platforms, to satisfy gamers seeking upgrades without a complete system overhaul. AMD's Ryzen chief, David McAfee, described the reintroduction of the 5800X3D as a challenging process, requiring significant re-engineering and requalification to adapt the product for modern manufacturing.
If Intel were to revive its older CPU lines, particularly Comet Lake, it might necessitate dusting off the 14nm fabrication process. Other rumored reintroductions would likely use 7nm or Intel 7 processes. The practicality of Intel maintaining outdated process machinery is questionable, suggesting that a re-engineering approach similar to AMD's would be a more logical path. Whether Intel deems this effort worthwhile remains to be seen.