Intel engineers are currently designing the entire 22nm process generation of CPUs and even if this sounds like the very distant future, we can expect the first 22nm CPUs probably at some point in 2011. This is of course the current plan that Intel can achieve if it doesn’t end up with some major issues that can delay things.

In 2009, Intel should be launching Westmere, a 32nm CPU, which can be seen as a refined Nehalem derivative. Even so, in 2010 Intel plans to launch a new 32nm architecture codenamed Sandy Bridge.

In 2011, the 32nm Sandy Bridge will get its 22nm "tick" revision rumored to be known as Ivy Bridge, but at this point the name remains unconfirmed. In 2012, Intel should have a brand new 22nm CPU architecture. We have confirmed that Intel engineers are already working on 22nm chips and as you can imagine, they should be loaded with more cache, more cores, and should end up faster than anything we have today.