Intel Optane memory segment has become a bleeding wound

Setting out with the slogan of making a revolution in the memory world with Micron, Intel has developed a technology called 3D XPoint, which, as it says, achieves revolutionary performance. However, high costs left the project inactive.

Intel Optane is bleeding

Promising 1000 times better input-output performance than traditional memories, 3D XPoint technology is also durable up to 1000 times. It can also offer 10 times more density and capacity than standard memories. In this way, costs decrease, delay times decrease, capacity and performance increase.

Intel decided to continue with the name Optane in this project. Micron ended the partnership and bought the facilities from Intel for $1.5 billion. However, 3D XPoint was unable to continue its work any longer and closed the facilities.

Intel has also been developing and releasing Optane memory for some time now. However, there was no mass adoption due to high costs. Therefore, revenues began to not meet the expenses.

In the financial statements of 2020, it was revealed that Intel had a loss of around 576 million dollars. It is estimated that there is a loss of around 530 million dollars in the 2021 financial statements. In other words, more than $1 billion in damage occurred in two years.

It is a question of how long Intel can sustain this situation. There is still not a wide participation opportunity for Optane memories. If Intel continues to invest in this way, there will be more than $2.5 billion in losses over the next 5 years.