First 64-bit quad-core ARM chips to be fabricated by... Intel?

[wraggster]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.engadget.com/media/2013/10/intel-altera-2013-10-30-01_620x340.jpgIntel's largest chip manufacturing customer, Altera (http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/26/intel-lands-altera-as-its-biggest-chip-manufacturing-customer-yet/), has said that it'll soon be building chips there based on -- wait for it -- ARM technology. Its Stratix 10 SoC will contain a quad-core, 64-bit ARM Cortex-A53 CPU, which Intel confirmed would be the first of that type manufactured by anyone. By contrast, Apple's latest Samsung-built 64-bit A7 ARM chips (http://www.engadget.com/2013/09/10/apple-unveils-64-bit-a7-chip/) used in the iPhone 5s are only dual-core. However, Altera's processors, which will be fab'ed with Intel's advanced 14nm tech (http://www.engadget.com/2013/01/24/intel-gets-go-ahead-for-4-billion-chip-plant-in-ireland-will-p/) are destined for networking equipment only and won't compete with the likes of Qualcomm and Samsung for smartphones. In any case, Intel's just a gun for hire with its biggest competitor's tech, so it would be unwise to draw any conclusions -- after all, the chip giant has its ownClover Trail (http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/20/asus-vivotab-smart-review/) to follow.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/30/first-64-bit-quad-core-arm-chips-to-be-fabricated-by-intel/