Iris pro benchmarks are in, and........they're VERY GOOD

[ShintaiDK]

Has this actually been confirmed by Intel or demonstrated to be true, or is it just speculation? (Not saying that it might not be true, but knowing for certain would be a different kettle of fish.)

Just look at the Iris Pro and then look at a delidded LGA1150 and see if you can make it fit under the IHS. The answer is no. So you would have to sell LGA chips without an IHS to make it fit. Or maybe make some kind of different IHS.

 

[Kallogan]

And anyway, Iris pro 5200 is basically a dgpu (separate die...) so nothing is really new when you think about it, better buy a nvidia or amd dgpu with better drivers update etc...

 

[NTMBK]

Just look at the Iris Pro and then look at a delidded LGA1150 and see if you can make it fit under the IHS. The answer is no. So you would have to sell LGA chips without an IHS to make it fit. Or maybe make some kind of different IHS.

I'm not so convinced. Judging by this image, GT3e is not much "longer" than GT2, just wider:

And there is plenty of spare width under that IHS:

But it's hard to judge from random photos.

 

[mikk]

And anyway, Iris pro 5200 is basically a dgpu (separate die...) so nothing is really new when you think about it, better buy a nvidia or amd dgpu with better drivers update etc...

No. The GPU is integrated.

 

[Smoblikat]

With updated Intel drivers, outperforms the Nvidia GT650M in most tests, and the 740M. Nvidia and AMD have a LOT to worry about here - no wonder Apple ditched nvidia in the macbook pro. Note: this is the 20 core cut down version. This will only get worse for nV/AMD with Broadwell.

nV/AMD will be shut out of the ultrabook market increasingly (which already, most ultrabooks do not have dGPU) and limited ONLY to full size gaming laptops, since TDP and size do not matter for that type of machine.



It gets better. This is the 20 core 47W TDP version of Iris Pro. The 40 core 53TDP version will be even faster than this. The 40 core (or possibly more) version will be used in the upcoming 2013 Retina Macbook Pro.

http://uk.hardware.info/reviews/4776/intel-iris-pro-5200-graphics-review-the-end-of-mid-range-gpus

20 cores @ 47w, but 40 cores at 53w? That makes no sense.

 

[ShintaiDK]

The width is the same as LGA1150 chips.

Not much area around to fit the IHS on. Unless they design an entirely new IHS that may fit there.

 

[CHADBOGA]

20 cores @ 47w, but 40 cores at 53w? That makes no sense.

The 40 cores run at 2/3's of the speed of the 20 core version, if my memory serves me right.

 

[rootheday3]

Competing GPU's get frame paced, thoroughly tested through every resolution conceivable, with a dozen games, frapped, fcatted, time stamped, overclocked, underclocked, tested by dozens of reviewers, analyzed by forum participants, scrutinized by professionals, drivers run through the ringer and then some... and intel's solution gets 2 synthetics and 2 game frame rate averages in friendly games and is declared a winner? excuse me while I LOL. Until intel's solutions are treated in the same manner and subjectivity as any other product on the market, they are in the same position as they have always been AFAIC: last.

ok, I'll bite... Here's some reviews that go well beyond 2 synthetics and 2 games. Anandtech, Techreport, pclab.pl, notebookcheck.net 1 & 2, computerbase.de

Ddozens of games, fraps/timestamped, ... you know, the stuff you asked for. No issues with drivers. As a bonus, performance on OpenCL is better than gaming.

 

[blackened23]

Do you have a link to these results?

http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/31901-next-gen-15-inch-macbook-pro-tips-up-at-geekbench

The results have since been deleted from the geekbench database, per Apple's request. The 13 inch macbook pro R was leaked in June as a pre-production model, the 15 inch retina MBP was leaked in July as a pre-production model. The unit will be using a 40EU enabled 4950HQ processor with GT3e.

This would have to be the retina model because if follow the macbook pro SKU paradigm, the non retina models use lower dual core processors or a low clock speed i7. In this case, this 15 inch model is using the top of the line i7 with the highest clockspeed and thread count possible, the highest SKU intel offers. Apple only offers the top end SKU in the 15 inch retina model, that even accounts for any potential Apple upgrades. That should indicate that it is a retina model. Anyway - unless Apple did a sudden about face in the July timeframe (not possible without the product becoming VERY delayed - it is being released in 1-2 weeks) it should be using the Iris Pro. There's a small chance that this could be a non retina model but I doubt it - it just wouldn't make sense in light of Apple's macbook pro paradigm that they've followed for several years. They don't offer the creme de la creme mobile i7 (eg 4950HQ) in anything but the absolute highest end SKU.

 

[blackened23]

And anyway, Iris pro 5200 is basically a dgpu (separate die...) so nothing is really new when you think about it, better buy a nvidia or amd dgpu with better drivers update etc...

If you're going to throw out such assertions, you should double check to ensure they have a basis in reality. In this case, you are incorrect. GT3e is not a separate die.

 

[Nothingness]

http://www.fudzilla.com/home/item/31901-next-gen-15-inch-macbook-pro-tips-up-at-geekbench

The results have since been deleted from the geekbench database, per Apple's request. The 13 inch macbook pro R was leaked in June as a pre-production model, the 15 inch retina MBP was leaked in July as a pre-production model. The unit will be using a 40EU enabled 4950HQ processor with GT3e.

This would have to be the retina model because if follow the macbook pro SKU paradigm, the non retina models use lower dual core processors or a low clock speed i7. In this case, this 15 inch model is using the top of the line i7 with the highest clockspeed and thread count possible, the highest SKU intel offers. Apple only offers the top end SKU in the 15 inch retina model, that even accounts for any potential Apple upgrades. That should indicate that it is a retina model. Anyway - unless Apple did a sudden about face in the July timeframe (not possible without the product becoming VERY delayed - it is being released in 1-2 weeks) it should be using the Iris Pro. There's a small chance that this could be a non retina model but I doubt it - it just wouldn't make sense in light of Apple's macbook pro paradigm that they've followed for several years. They don't offer the creme de la creme mobile i7 (eg 4950HQ) in anything but the absolute highest end SKU.

Thanks for the information!

In fact it seems the result is still there: http://browser.primatelabs.com/geekbench2/2139563

 

[Arkaign]

I think of GT3e as a first shot that shows what is on the way with iGPU. The biggest penalty it has is the huge die/cache setup. That's why I believe this is more 'proof of concept' along with low-volume MBP sales to sort of make a PR statement that shows that Intel can deliver great IGP, finally.

At the same time, if they had been given the ability to ditch the cache, and feed it 256-bit GDDR5 directly to the iGPU, performance would be even better. Sharing DDR3 main system memory is never ideal for good performance.

DDR4 256-pin SODIMM with Broadwell will probably be the nail in the coffin to anything but very high end dGPU for mobile. It remains to be seen if Intel is interested in pursuing this path on desktop, but with 4K coming on slowly and steadily, I would say it won't be long there either.

People shouldn't forget that dGPU isn't a static thing as well. By the time we see Broadwell w/DDR4, the 'Iris Pro GT4?' will probably dominate even the 750M by a large margin, but will be slotted up against improved future dGPUs.

AMD, otoh, is basically on the verge of losing all relevancy outside of desktop GPU. I'm not saying that to be mean, but just look at their current APUs. Even with the 6800K, you get pretty mediocre CPU performance, and the GPU performance isn't that hot either. Better than desktop Intel iGPU for sure, but the gap is getting thin, and will soon flip. Once you have lost :

Power efficiency
CPU performance per core
CPU performance overall
iGPU performance
iGPU perf/watt

Once all of that is lost, nothing to do but try to undercut on price, which is unsustainable in terms of bringing future competitive products to bear in order to attempt catching up.

 

[ShintaiDK]

DDR4 256-pin SODIMM with Broadwell will probably be the nail in the coffin to anything but very high end dGPU for mobile.

Broadwell is DDR3. DDR4 first comes with Skylake,

 

[SiliconWars]

Your forgetting one very important point - the AMD chips are horrifically held back by bandwidth. AMD literally has to do nothing except wait on DDR4 to get a free massive boost.

 

[mrmt]

AMD, otoh, is basically on the verge of losing all relevancy outside of desktop GPU.

Even there is a mixed bag. They make almost no money out of their dGPU business.

 

[Arkaign]

Your forgetting one very important point - the AMD chips are horrifically held back by bandwidth. AMD literally has to do nothing except wait on DDR4 to get a free massive boost.

Yep, DDR4 will be an epic boost to all IGPs. Iris Pro even with that embedded ram doesn't have enough to escape the terrible penalties of DDR3, it's more of an experiment/bandaid than anything else imho.

 

[Arkaign]

Broadwell is DDR3. DDR4 first comes with Skylake,

Ah, that puts things at a bit less imminent then 🙂

I wonder if we'll see another dGPU memory boost, or if they will simply have to look at wider bus arch to move things forward in that area? IIRC, GDDR5 has been around for a fairly long time by now.

 

[Arkaign]

Ah yes : http://vr-zone.com/articles/gddr6-memory-coming-in-2014/16359.html

 

[SPBHM]

I don't care much about Iris Pro, I think for a desktop it would be to overpriced for what it can offer as a GPU.

I would like to see Intel selling the dual core with HD 5000 (Iris pro without l4 cache) for a more reasonable price... desktop means easy access to higher clocks, DDR3 2133+, so the cache is less important I think...

 

[NTMBK]

Your forgetting one very important point - the AMD chips are horrifically held back by bandwidth. AMD literally has to do nothing except wait on DDR4 to get a free massive boost.

And while AMD are waiting, Intel are taking the lead. "Waiting" is suicide in the tech industry, and AMD have done far too much already. Kaveri should have been out last year dammit.

 

[Sp12]

40 watts is far and away too high for any ultrabook.

 

[bepo]

So "theoretical performance" aside, over three generations we've seen the performance double each time. It's rumored that GT4 will be up to 2 TFLOPs which would be another 2x gain. If Intel can deliver something that fits in a macbook pro form factor with that kind of power I would be very very happy. I don't understand what's not to like about that.

 

[Exophase]

Yep, DDR4 will be an epic boost to all IGPs. Iris Pro even with that embedded ram doesn't have enough to escape the terrible penalties of DDR3, it's more of an experiment/bandaid than anything else imho.

For that to be true Intel would have to be lying through their teeth when they say Crystalwell gets an average 95% hit rate in games. That would make the backing RAM technology close to irrelevant, especially for average FPS.

 

[ShintaiDK]

For that to be true Intel would have to be lying through their teeth when they say Crystalwell gets an average 95% hit rate in games. That would make the backing RAM technology close to irrelevant, especially for average FPS.

And it would really question the Xbox One as well if it wasnt true.

 

[Dresdenboy]

And anyway, Iris pro 5200 is basically a dgpu (separate die...) so nothing is really new when you think about it, better buy a nvidia or amd dgpu with better drivers update etc...

The separate die is an eDRAM chip and the reason for a huge performance increase.

As many already know, such kind of added HBM (either on-package, or via 2.5D/3D integration) is the way to go for better performance/watt.