4th Generation Intel Core, Haswell summarized

[IntelUser2000]

Here I will present Haswell's features, along with my thoughts at the end of each section.

CPU:
-Better branch prediction
-Increase OoO window and resources
-L2 TLB(TLB size and ways doubles to 1024 and 8 ways in 4K and 2M shared scenario)
-Lower VT latencies
-Port 0 and 1 add the ability to do 256-bit FMA
-New Port 6 adds extra ALU and branch unit
-New Port 7 adds extra store address unit
-Doubled read and write bandwidth for the L1 cache
-Improved cache line latency and throughput
-L2 cache bandwidth doubled
-Same branch misprediction penalty and same cache latencies
-New Integer instructions: Indexing and Hashing, Cryptography, Endian conversion-MOVBE
-CRC, SHA-256, SHA-256 MultiBuffer, AES GCM, RSA-2K performance greatly improves over Ivy Bridge
-Per slice LLC access bandwidth improved
-Improved load balancing in the System Agent
-Improved DRAM write throughput

I wasn't expecting big change until I saw Fudzilla's "at least 10% gain" claim. This is a comprehensive change. Addition of ports is even more than what Sandy Bridge architecture went through. Impressive. I expect another 10-20% Sandy Bridge achieved over Nehalem/Westmere is possible again.

GPU:
-DX11.1, OpenCL 1.2, OpenGL 4.0 support
-Adds a Resource Streamer to reduce driver overhead
-Most of fixed function unit performance doubled(for GT3)
-GT3 is literally doubles the back end of the iGPU, which includes the Rasterizer, Z, Stencil, Color Blend, Samplers
-Up to 4x improvement of sampler performance over Ivy Bridge(which will be double again with GT3)

Good to see that its not a direct scale up of Ivy Bridge units, and on its own a big improvement as well. The one I like a lot is the Resource Streamer to reduce driver overhead.

Media:
-SVC codec
-MJPEG decode & MPEG2 encode
-Higher encoding quality
-Stand-alone VQE(Video Quality Engine)
-Frame rate conversion and image stabilization
-4Kx2K video playback
-Improved encoder quality and new video processing functions

Can't tell much about media units, but seems like a step forward. This area is best shown by real life examples.

Power management:
-Voltage Regulator integration
-Cores seperated from LLC+Ring for frequency
-C-state transition times improved by 25%
-GT3 can power gate slice

This is the biggest improvement for Haswell, by far. As outlined here: http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2241480&highlight=overview+power+management

Here's an interesting fact though. Intel is saying the 4th Generation Core "M" series will have 20% reduced idle power consumption. The "U" series though will have >20x reduced idle power consumption. They are talking that they want to reach S0 style wake up with S3 style power usage.

How significant is this? Datasheets show that CPU-alone C7 package power for Ivy Bridge 17W CPU has a TDP of 2.2W. Haswell will be under 200mW, not just for the CPU but for the entire platform sans the display. The reason for such a big drop is because we move from a system that has basically the CPU scaling in power usage only, to the entire system scaling based on demand. We'll see(for Ultrabooks anyway) deep power states on SSDs, PCI Express, USB, and other things that go way below what they do today.

Power measurements when the system is idle with screen-off is known to be 3-4W on an Ultrabook-style system. That goes 2-3W with the screen on idle, for a total of 5-7W. Even if the screen isn't improved it would mean the idle power with screen on would drop from current 5W to 2.2W.. Combine that with Haswell's support for Panel Self Refresh to save ~500mW of power we end up with 1.7W screen-on idle with Haswell with this calculation.

Actually, to be more specific they show in the Ultrabook guidelines, a 2011-2012 platform having a 35WHr battery having 5 hours of battery life, with bigger systems doing 7 hours, a fairly realistic figure since the Macbook Air and Zenbook can get similar figure with 35WHr. In the 2013 platform though they are aiming for double that, if not more, using a similar battery capacity!

TDP-wise, there will be a <10W Ivy Bridge slated for early 2013. Haswell will bring a 15W ULT SKU and another one that goes even below the <10W Ivy Bridge. I'd expect the 10W SKU to aim for Ivy Bridge-like performance, with only the 15W SKU being the real performant one.

 

[Hulk]

Thanks for the summary. Does this mean that for HTPC use we can finally get rid of discrete cards?

 

[OVerLoRDI]

These power consumption figures are impressive if they turn out to be true. We are really getting to the point where we don't have to sacrifice performance for size. The amount of power we can now cram into SFF desktops and laptops is getting incredible.

As an enthusiast, I also wonder about the more powerful parts as well and what will Haswell-E bring to the table.

Good summary of what we know thus far btw!

Thanks for the summary. Does this mean that for HTPC use we can finally get rid of discrete cards?

That would be great. I'm also curious about the "frame rate conversion". Are we talking hardware interpolation or just hardware frame doubling/tripling/whatever.

 

[Yuriman]

What kind of raw GPU performance are we looking at? If it's double what's in Ivy Bridge, Intel's next gen iGPU will compete with discrete HD6670's and GT640's.

 

[meloz]

My concern is how Intel will ruin Haswell with their questionable choice of SKUs. To me the GT3 graphics will be the most important upgrade (coming from Sandy Bridge, and being a linux user who must rely on open source graphic drivers), but how many desktop, dual-core Haswell chips will get GT3 and not the slower GT2 and GT1?

I hope Intel don't screw this up....but it almost looks like they are restricting GT3 for notebooks and AIO 'specials'.

Haswell looks like a must upgrade. Improvements in performance/watt are great. Reading about PSR got me giggling with happiness, I hope this feature does not need any support in kernel or a recompile and works transparently for all OS and programs.

AVX2 and TSX are more about setting up the infrastructure for future, it will take time for programs to take full advantage of this stuff. But you have to build the road first, the traffic comes later.

 

[blastingcap]

What kind of raw GPU performance are we looking at? If it's double what's in Ivy Bridge, Intel's next gen iGPU will compete with discrete HD6670's and GT640's.

According to the demo it's about double, so yes, it will be at the upper end of iGPUs and the lower end of discrete GPUs. GPUs are not just red and green anymore--they come in blue, too.

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2012...ll-fit-in-everything-from-tablets-to-servers/

 

[IntelUser2000]

I hope Intel don't screw this up....but it almost looks like they are restricting GT3 for notebooks and AIO 'specials'.

Of course the information can change, but according to leaked information:

Only the high end quad core Haswell and 15W Ultrabook-bound Haswell gets the GT3 SKU.

If the Semiaccurate article is right, they want to use GT3 for best power efficient performance. So GT2 is 20EUs @ 1.2GHz, and GT3 is 40EUs(actually it doubles everything, not just the EUs) @ 800MHz.

 

[meloz]

Of course the information can change, but according to leaked information:

Only the high end quad core Haswell and 15W Ultrabook-bound Haswell gets the GT3 SKU.

If the Semiaccurate article is right, they want to use GT3 for best power efficient performance. So GT2 is 20EUs @ 1.2GHz, and GT3 is 40EUs(actually it doubles everything, not just the EUs) @ 800MHz.

You have to wonder how much of this is Intel segmenting the market in their usual way, or is it purely a by-product of binning and managing the yield. For sure Haswell is still almost an year off, and things can change in the coming months.

I can only hope we get at least one affordable, dual-core desktop SKU with GT3 graphics. It would be ideal for many people who can use it for a hybrid HTPC + light gaming + desktop kind of system built on a small budget.

For these kind of systems a quad-core is an overkill, and Haswell quad-core will be even more so considering they are improving the already great performance.

 

[frozentundra123456]

Of course the information can change, but according to leaked information:

Only the high end quad core Haswell and 15W Ultrabook-bound Haswell gets the GT3 SKU.

If the Semiaccurate article is right, they want to use GT3 for best power efficient performance. So GT2 is 20EUs @ 1.2GHz, and GT3 is 40EUs(actually it doubles everything, not just the EUs) @ 800MHz.

This would be disappointing to me. One of the better facets of intel's igp is that pretty much every mobile cpu, quads at least, get the full HD4000, so that they have the best igpus in laptops where you need them. I would hate to see the best igpu restricted to ultrabooks, which are not really suitable for gaming anyway. They already gimp most desktop chips with the HD2500, but that is less troubling to me because it is so easy to put a discrete card in a desktop.

Just put the GT3 in regular laptops and clock it up!!

 

[Sweepr]

This would be disappointing to me. One of the better facets of intel's igp is that pretty much every mobile cpu, quads at least, get the full HD4000, so that they have the best igpus in laptops where you need them. I would hate to see the best igpu restricted to ultrabooks, which are not really suitable for gaming anyway. They already gimp most desktop chips with the HD2500, but that is less troubling to me because it is so easy to put a discrete card in a desktop.

Just put the GT3 in regular laptops and clock it up!!

According to this GT3 will come to SV mobile CPUs too, it's not exclusive to ultrabooks. Desktops are another matter though.

 

[piesquared]

Rather underwhelming really. Was hoping for the 4x ivy bridge performance that was shilled around over the months. Nothing to cheer about, we've had this much compute power available for a couple years. There's also not much hope for inetls drivers or compatibility issues. When inetl works with the gaming industry for a few years then they'll have some credibility.

For example let's see how well inetl does in games like Far Cry 3, Sleeping Dogs, Crisis, etc. We already know every game published will play on everything AMD has on the market. And NV for that matter. Can we say the same for inetl? They pump out a few gimmicks and expect to be able to con consumers into falling for their hype. Let's see how well inetl does across the spectrum not just on some applications of their own choosing.

It will also have to be compared against its competition, not what's currently on the market -jaguar and GCN in Temash and Kabini, and Steamroller with GCN in Kaveri.
Inetl must have paid well for all the shilling.

 

[IntelUser2000]

According to this GT3 will come to SV mobile CPUs too, it's not exclusive to ultrabooks. Desktops are another matter though.

Sure, but the SV they are talking about is quad cores.

BTW, this video the demo guy states:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/6266/idf-2012-haswell-gt3-running-skyrim

The one on the left, GT2 Ivy Bridge is running at 1366x768 Medium Quality while the right is Haswell GT3 running at 1920x1080 High Quality.

And they achieve similar frame rates. That's probably for the quad core, but still really good.

 

[meloz]

pieaquared, you are being unnecessarily negative. No one seriously expected a 400% improvement over IVB, not on iGPU side and certainly not on CPU side. Which company has offered that kind of upgrade in less tha 12-14 months over their current line-up?

You are naive to set your expectations so absurdly high, by these standards all AMD products in the last three years must be unusable rubbish.

Intel's graphic drivers certainly used to suck, but they have been steadily improving. As a linux user I am very sensitive to drivers, I can confidently say SNB marked the turning point for Intel. It can only get better from here on. They haven't been a player in the gaming segment, but they need a product first to get the game devs interested and improve their drivers even more.

 

[IntelUser2000]

This would be disappointing to me. One of the better facets of intel's igp is that pretty much every mobile cpu, quads at least, get the full HD4000, so that they have the best igpus in laptops where you need them.

They might still do this. IMO its still baffling to me why they have the 35W dual core SKU. They should just can it and have two segments - high performance quad cores, and thin and light Ultrabooks/Convertibles with really good battery for the rest.

 

[IntelUser2000]

Not exactly Haswell, but it'll be relevant. WiDi version 3.5 is arriving by Holiday 2012 for 3rd Generation Core and it'll have 10x reduced(or 1/10x ) latency for "Casual gaming" it says.

Oh, and detailed information about media units(like the frame rate conversion) is in Intel's presentations.

FRC = 24 to 30 fps/30 to 60 fps

I'll post a sentence from there here:

Combination of motion estimation and motion compensation to interpolate the missing frames.

 

[sefsefsefsef]

If they don't offer GT3 graphics in a high end dual-core i7 mobile chip (not ULV), then I probably won't be buying a Haswell. That's the only hypothetical SKU that really interests me (I'm thinking of a 13" MBP).

 

[2is]

Thanks for the summary. Does this mean that for HTPC use we can finally get rid of discrete cards?

Don't see why you can't do that now.

 

[CHADBOGA]

pieaquared, you are being unnecessarily negative. No one seriously expected a 400% improvement over IVB, not on iGPU side and certainly not on CPU side. Which company has offered that kind of upgrade in less tha 12-14 months over their current line-up?

You are naive to set your expectations so absurdly high, by these standards all AMD products in the last three years must be unusable rubbish.

Intel's graphic drivers certainly used to suck, but they have been steadily improving. As a linux user I am very sensitive to drivers, I can confidently say SNB marked the turning point for Intel. It can only get better from here on. They haven't been a player in the gaming segment, but they need a product first to get the game devs interested and improve their drivers even more.

He's just crying because AMD continues to retard, whilst Intel keeps on keeping on.

He has locked himself into using inferior hardware, that is the kind of thing I would love to inflict on people I dislike, yet he willing does it to himself.

You can't make this sort of stuff up. :biggrin:

 

[Yuriman]

Honestly, Haswell will be the bee's knees if Intel solves the thermal density issues somehow (solder, better TIM, fixing the gap, IDK). Either way, I'm quite content with a doubling of iGPU performance, 10% more IPC and a reduction in overall power consumption without a change in node. With 2x GPU performance of Ivy I'd actually consider not dropping a discreet GPU in a build, as I'm only a light gamer lately.

 

[Arzachel]

He's just crying because AMD continues to retard, whilst Intel keeps on keeping on.

He has locked himself into using inferior hardware, that is the kind of thing I would love to inflict on people I dislike, yet he willing does it to himself.

You can't make this sort of stuff up. :biggrin:

I don't take piesquared too seriously, but you can't deny that the "IB GPU IS GOING TO BE 3x FASTER THAN SB GPU WOOO! ...Umm, no it's not. HASWELL GPU IS GOING TO BE 4x FASTER THAN IB GPU! ...Umm not really." Is getting a bit silly AMD gets lynched for much smaller mistakes.

Anyways, I really do hope GT3 has some way to keep those shaders fed because that's what's holding both Intel and AMD back right now.

 

[OCGuy]

pieaquared, you are being unnecessarily negative. No one seriously expected a 400% improvement over IVB, not on iGPU side and certainly not on CPU side. Which company has offered that kind of upgrade in less tha 12-14 months over their current line-up?

You are naive to set your expectations so absurdly high, by these standards all AMD products in the last three years must be unusable rubbish.

Intel's graphic drivers certainly used to suck, but they have been steadily improving. As a linux user I am very sensitive to drivers, I can confidently say SNB marked the turning point for Intel. It can only get better from here on. They haven't been a player in the gaming segment, but they need a product first to get the game devs interested and improve their drivers even more.

Read the rest of his posts here and elsewhere, you will know where he is coming from immediately.

I am looking forward to Haswell. This dusty 950 will finally get to retire to my parent's machine.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Good thing the GF wanted a desktop so I can give her the IB while I get Haswell next year

Thanks for the summary. Does this mean that for HTPC use we can finally get rid of discrete cards?

Dumped discrete HTPC cards when I got the i5-661. Never missed it since.

 

[IntelCeleron]

So it's safe to say there is no embedded memory for the GPU per the rumors that have been floating around?

 

[Olikan]

so many core changes, some many "x thing is improved"
...yet 10% better IPC....
non-linear scaling su**s!

 

[Pilum]

So it's safe to say there is no embedded memory for the GPU per the rumors that have been floating around?

No. Intel may just keep that as a surprise for launch of the appropriate SKUs. "Oh, did we really forget to tell you about that at IDF? Oops, sorry! <g>". Maybe they'll bring out these SKUs half-way through HSWs lifecycle, so launch would be one year out. Or it will be initially reserved for Apple, with the usual hush-hush. Or it was planned but Intel didn't manage to solve the production problems, and moved that feature to Broadwell.

There's just no way to tell.