General discussion • Does 2nm make a difference?

Intel has a new range of silicon built on 2nm. Would something like that make a difference to a Pi Pico or Zero 2 or 5?

I expect the CPU chip would be smaller but the GPIO pins and everything else would be the same size. Maybe the CPU could stay the same and be 8 core.

I do not know what size cells are used in the current Pi silicon. I guess the Pi 5 uses something smaller than the Pi 4. From what I read, each silicon supplier uses different measurements so 2nm from one company is a different size to 2nm in other brands. Plus the smaller sizes increase resistance and leakage, leading to more heat and less efficiency. 2nm is not much use if you have to install a 2nm fan.

My one dislike of the fastest tech is the constant fan. If I can avoid a fan by using something a step down, like a Pi 4 instead of a Pi 5, I choose the quieter option. They both have plenty of memory. If 2nm was used to increase the memory in a Zero 2, that would be good but not if it needed a fan.

Then there is the IO silicon. 2nm does not do anything to help USB or Ethernet or other stuff that needs big silicon for big amps.

My only current comparison is the Intel N100 and N150. The N150 stepped down to 7nm and is about four times as fast for some things while using less power.

Statistics: Posted by peterlite — Sun Feb 08, 2026 11:22 pm

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