Intel's CPUs, which were thought to be obsolete, are still being sold on the market.

The surge in demand for chips due to AI (artificial intelligence) has forced Intel to change how it manufactures and sells previously discontinued products.

According to BGR , an internal source said Intel has begun selling lower-quality chips, products previously discarded, to the market. This move stems from high demand for GPUs (graphics processors) from data centers, leading to chip shortages and price spikes of hundreds of percent in some cases.

Intel CPUs are being "modified" due to supply shortages.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Currently, CPUs are also facing pressure from AI demands as they compete with GPUs. The prioritization of GPU production has reduced the supply of CPUs, while the demand for CPUs has also increased to support complex AI tasks.

What prompted Intel to take this controversial step?

To better understand Intel's strategy, it's necessary to analyze its chip manufacturing process. Intel manufactures processors on large silicon wafers, each containing hundreds of CPUs. Chips at the edges of the silicon wafer often have minor flaws, such as differences in transistor size.

Instead of discarding these chips that would otherwise be phased out, Intel is packaging them into low-cost products and bringing them to market. While previously low-quality chips often resulted in excess inventory, current high demand has led consumers to readily accept these products, motivating Intel to continue pursuing this new business strategy.

This strategy helped Intel record revenue of $13.6 billion in the first quarter of 2026, far exceeding the projected $12.36 billion. Furthermore, the average selling price (ASP) also increased significantly, with server CPU ASP rising 27%, contributing to Intel's revenue growth.

The question is whether this is a short-term strategy in the context of chip shortages, or whether companies will adopt it in the future to optimize profits? With AI computing needs continuing to grow as they are now, it's likely that Intel will continue to pursue a strategy of selling lower-quality chips for at least some time longer.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/cpu-tuong-bo-di-cua-intel-van-duoc-ban-ra-thi-truong-185260429102532653.htm