Intel, one of those giants in the semiconductor world for so many decades, has recently come under much critical scrutiny due to various issues surrounding their processors. Since computing is changing structurally and competitors have ramped up their efforts, Intel has felt it was necessary to make changes. The evolution of computing has occurred rigorously, and this has prompted improvements day in and day out by competitors, which has set Intel’s processors against increased scrutiny on multiple fronts. This sets up a dilemma for both consumers and businesses as to whether this brand can sustain its lead in the chip manufacturing business.
Performance Limitations of Intel Processors
Probably the most discussed Intel issues are related to the performance gap between Intel processors and those from their very closest competitors, mainly AMD and Apple. Whereas Intel processors were generally thought of as the gold standard for performance and efficiency, in recent releases, the company has been seen lagging behind. A prime example is that Intel’s 14th generation processors have received less than stellar reviews due to minimal performance increases over the predecessors.
Intel processors have also been criticized for being more power-hungry in comparison to AMD’s Ryzen series and Apple’s M1 and M2 chips. This added incompetence from the performance impacts results in thermal issues, overheating some systems. Because of these problems, users had to invest in better cooling, additions that increased the total cost of ownership.
Intel Security Vulnerabilities
Then, there are security vulnerabilities, too. It looks like every now and then, Intel processors keep facing security vulnerabilities. Repeatedly, Intel’s processors have been found vulnerable to different types of security flaws, such as Spectre and Meltdown, by exploiting weaknesses in the architecture of Intel chips. These vulnerabilities allow hackers to access sensitive data from a computer’s memory, thus putting millions of users at risk.
Indeed, Intel tried to patch these issues, but more often than not, there is a catch for performance. For this reason, many users indeed faced a notable drop in system performance after applying the security updates that increased frustration with processors produced by Intel. Given that such vulnerabilities existed across successive ranges of Intel processors, this really shook consumer confidence over Intel’s considerations of security.
Delays and Supply Chain Problems
Another ongoing issue with Intel processors is that it releases its new models very late. It has been struggling much with delays in production, especially in shifting to a smaller manufacturing process. While competitors like AMD have moved to 5nm technology, for instance, Intel has suffered significant delays in such progress. These delays sometimes relate to releasing new products and creating shortages of the latest Intel processors for buyers.
While Intel processors always had the biggest edge in the market, continuous Intel issues—starting from performance limitations, security vulnerabilities, to production delays—are standing in the shadow of one of the most renowned companies. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see the rivals of Intel push their limits of innovation piece by piece until Intel can address such challenges once again.
