If they increase the internal caches (ALL OF THEM) and the various instruction buffers too, does that count as a refresh or a new architecture?
If you're talking about L1/L2/L3 then I think that would be a refresh. If you get into micro cache/reorder/branch order buffers, registers, loads/stores, and similar then I'd call it a "Tick."
New architecture generally involves increasing decoders and/or ports, which in turn requires the above structures to be increased/optimized to adequately feed the data.
Sometimes Intel would get things a little out of balance front vs. back end and fix it in later. For example, Haswell went from 6 to 8 execution ports but kept decoders the same. I'm sure Intel's models showed good IPC increases by opening up the back end. Then the front end became more of a bottleneck and they added a simple decoder with Skylake.
Then a return to the back end by going 8 to 10 ports with Sunny Cove. And finally with Golden Cove another simple decoder and 2 more execution ports were added. The buffers, registers, OoO order logic seems to be revised as the front/back end is opened up to support the greater data flow.
It *seems* like Intel rectified the bandwidth issues with Golden Cove by increasing L2/L3 with Raptor so Raptor Cove may be "balanced" and won't benefit from additional tweaking. But their models may have identified a few simple changes to allow for a few more percent IPC as well as some frequency increase.
But if we look back at all of the refreshes of Skylake because that's essentially what they were, all Intel did was add cores and increase frequency. Doubtful they will add cores (to the top of the stack) but I'm hoping they may be able to bring down power across the stack.
For example, while the 13900K can run 5.5GHz all cores, outside of a car radiator sized custom loop it just isn't sustainable with most of the silicon they are selling at 13900K from what I've been reading and experienced myself.
So let's assume the Raptor refresh can run 5.5GHz at the VID the "old" Raptor could run 5.1 or 5.2GHz. That would instantly be an upgrade for anyone moving from 13900K Raptor to Raptor refresh that doesn't have a monster cooling solution even though the label on the box would show the same specs!
Problem is how does Intel sell this? Right now for those of us in the "know" the 13900KS is more valuable for it's ability to run same clocks as 13900K but at lower voltages. No guarantee of course but you basically pay for a higher binned part. Intel "sells" this by slapping "6GHz" on the box. That number is meaningless outside of benches because other cores always drop that top number.
So in conclusion Intel is in a bit of a bind with this refresh. On the lower end parts below the 13900K/KS they can add some frequency across the board. But at the top of the stack there is really no where to go because they have that segment so finely binned with the 13900K and KS.
That's why I find this refresh interesting. I'm curious as to how Intel will proceed. And I hope Zen 5 is right around the corner and it is all we're hoping it is. Love seeing Intel's feet put to the fire and see how they respond. But AMD and Intel have pressured each other lately and both have responded to the pressure by making diamonds.
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