Broadwell architecture article be coming soon?

[Hulk]

9/14/2010 - Sandy Bridge Architecture Exposed article
9/17/2011 - Ivy Bridge Architecture Exposed article
10/5/2012 - Haswell Architecture Exposed article

Will the Broadwell delay cause the Anandtech article to be delayed as well?

 

[Homeles]

Those dates were pretty much corresponded with Fall IDF, and unfortunately Intel didn't let any real information out on Broadwell this year. You probably won't get an article until Spring IDF 2014.

Now, there is a possibility Intel finally starts talking about their 14nm process at IEDM this coming December. I was chatting with Idontcare... he believes Intel will open up about it, primarily because they basically have a chance to rub in the fact that they have a 14nm-class process that will be going into production in Q1.

Really, though, they've been suspiciously quiet about everything. I don't know if it's the new CEO, or what, but they withheld a lot of information about Bay Trail (die size, transistor count, etc.), they've been really quiet about Broadwell, and they've been quiet about 14nm as well. They were trumpetting those 22nm FinFETs for nearly a year before Ivy Bridge's launch... and we've heard zip about 14nm, other than it's a "true" full node advancement, and that it's been delayed a quarter.

 

[Hulk]

Those dates were pretty much corresponded with Fall IDF, and unfortunately Intel didn't let any real information out on Broadwell this year. You probably won't get an article until Spring IDF 2014.

Ah painful! It generally takes me a few months of reading and re-reading these in-depth architecture articles to really start to understand.

All we really know about Broadwell is that is will be 14nm, probably come in 4 variants like Haswell (maybe no desktop version), and looks to show 30 percent power reduction over Haswell.
If I remember correctly Anand also mentioned something about Broadwell being the BIG graphics improvement for Intel IGUs.

 

[Homeles]

All we really know about Broadwell is that is will be 14nm, probably come in 4 variants like Haswell (maybe no desktop version), and looks to show 30 percent power reduction over Haswell.
If I remember correctly Anand also mentioned something about Broadwell being the BIG graphics improvement for Intel IGUs.

You're correct. Here's a bit from his Haswell architecture article:

We won't see a dramatic redesign/re-plumbing of the graphics hardware until Broadwell in 2014 (that one is going to be a big one).

We've also had a software engineer from Intel go on record, saying that as well. Something along the lines of it being the biggest rehaul they've done since his time at Intel.

Edit: I went and dug it up:

Broadwell represents the next generation (GEN8) in Intel graphics
processing hardware. Broadwell graphics bring some of the biggest
changes we've seen on the execution and memory management side of the
GPU. (There are equally large and exciting changes for the userspace
drivers.)

Again, I'd like to point out that the amount of changes on BDW dwarfs any other
silicon iteration during my tenure, and certainly can compete with the
likes of the gen3->gen4 changes.

Source: http://www.mail-archive.com/intel-gfx@lists.freedesktop.org/msg28526.html
There's also interesting information in this Linux GPU driver patch repository, which is continually being updated: http://cgit.freedesktop.org/mesa/mesa/log/?h=broadwell

One final bit on Broadwell: it's possible that Intel actually did go into more detail about Broadwell at IDF, but that information may be under embargo, or it may just be taking some time for Anand and RWT's David Kanter to pore through (it took them roughly one and two months for Haswell, respectively). If I had to guess, they probably get early access to the optimization manuals, and write their articles based on that. I don't think that's the case this time around, though; I think Intel is keeping things under wraps for now.

Honestly, my favorite part about Intel is their rapid development cycle -- I'm fed with a pretty frequent supply of articles to read. Just being able to read all of these fascinating changes are what I'm in this hobby for; the forum lurking thing is small in comparison, and I don't have the money to get too crazy into system building. Lately however, Intel's been like AMD, and have been far too quiet... frankly, it's quite frustrating. At least I've been able to read a bit about Apple's A7.

 

[tweakboy]

I vote for Broadway in 2k16,, jk jk

 

[Arachnotronic]

One final bit on Broadwell: it's possible that Intel actually did go into more detail about Broadwell at IDF, but that information may be under embargo, or it may just be taking some time for Anand and RWT's David Kanter to pore through (it took them roughly one and two months for Haswell, respectively). If I had to guess, they probably get early access to the optimization manuals, and write their articles based on that. I don't think that's the case this time around, though; I think Intel is keeping things under wraps for now.

I was at IDF. No Broadwell details were given.

 

[jpiniero]

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear much until next year's Fall IDF, considering with the delay Broadwell likely won't be out now until the end of 2014.

 

[NTMBK]

I was at IDF. No Broadwell details were given.

Or at least that's what the NDA forces you to say! :awe:

 

[NTMBK]

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't hear much until next year's Fall IDF, considering with the delay Broadwell likely won't be out now until the end of 2014.

Errm, no.

 

[Homeles]

Errm, no.

Well, it is possible, but definitely unlikely.

 

[mikk]

I think we will hear from Broadwell at spring IDF and 14nm Atom at autumn IDF. It makes sense to split it and Broadwell comes earlier than 14nm Atom.