[WCCF] Intel Skylake 2015 Platform Details Revealed

[Burpo]

Intel Skylake 2015 Platform Details Revealed – Compatible With 100 Series Chipset Supports DDR4, GT4e Graphics On Desktop

The x86 Skylake architecture which would be based on a completely new 14nm node will feature several enhancements and will be supported by a new chipset

Read more: http://wccftech.com/intel-skylake-2...dr4-gt4e-graphics-chip-desktop/#ixzz30mQK4A7t

 

[ShintaiDK]

GT4e, even for LGA desktops. That cant be fun for nVidia and AMD.

Else no surprise, quadcores continue due to the extreme lack of software.

 

[escrow4]

Still using slow ass DMI? Its crippling if you have multiple SATA SSD's and heavily hammer them. And no, M2 still isn't mainstream. I suspect I'll pass again unless its a substantial improvement.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Else no surprise, quadcores continue due to the extreme lack of software.

Actually, that is surprising. Video editing/encoding, distributed computing, etc., are just a few of the apps that can use nearly as many cores as you can provide. And then there's Chrome, with a tab-per-process model that can take advantage of multiple CPU cores too (right? I don't use Chrome). I know that Firefox only uses a single CPU core though.

 

[Sweepr]

Very interesting info. It's nice to see GT4 iGPUs finally confirmed, but the biggest suprise here is that these versions wont show up only as BGA parts, they are bringing those Gen 9 GT4e chips to desktops! Also, <15W TDP Skylake-U will have GT3e. Perfect fit for future 12'' Retina-display Macbooks.

I expect that Intel will slowly bring cheaper 6C/12T CPUs to the LGA2011 platform for those that really need more cores, considering Haswell-E features up to 8C/16T and 2015 Broadwell-E is rumoured to pack up to 10C/20T.

 

[FwFred]

...

 

[Shivansps]

There will be a huge perf diff on those desktop GT2 to GT4e...

 

[jpiniero]

If Intel is really doing GT4e, I sure hope they are going to add some sort of HSA features to Skylake. Otherwise that's an awful lot of die space that's going to go wasted. OEMs haven't really shown much interest in Iris Pro either so you have to wonder what the point is.

Kind of interesting that the U/Y models only support DDR3. DDR4 is supposed to be expensive until the very end of 2015; so that's probally the earliest DDR4 Skylake could be feasibly released, but these DDR3 models could be released earlier.

 

[witeken]

Very interesting info. It's nice to see GT4 iGPUs finally confirmed, but the biggest suprise here is that these versions wont show up only as BGA parts, they are bringing those Gen 9 GT4e chips to desktops!

Very interesting indeed. I wonder how much of an improvement Gen9 will be, since it's only 1 year after Broadwell's Gen8. And maybe also even more EUs like 25% more since Gen7 to 8 is 20% more EUs. GT4 with 96EUs would have a die area of about 280mm² when we assume that architectural changes would make it 20% larger and 14nm has a 2.1x scaling.

Also nice to see that Skylake will indeed launch in 2015, (even) after what BK said in the Q1 conference call (some people suggested that Intel would only start production in H2 with launch in 2016).

 

[ShintaiDK]

Actually, that is surprising. Video editing/encoding, distributed computing, etc., are just a few of the apps that can use nearly as many cores as you can provide. And then there's Chrome, with a tab-per-process model that can take advantage of multiple CPU cores too (right? I don't use Chrome). I know that Firefox only uses a single CPU core though.

Encoding already got quicksync if you are in a hurry. Else there is he E platform.

As such, nothign you mentioned shows a demand for more than a quadcore for mainstream/performance segment.

 

[ShintaiDK]

Still using slow ass DMI? Its crippling if you have multiple SATA SSD's and heavily hammer them. And no, M2 still isn't mainstream. I suspect I'll pass again unless its a substantial improvement.

AMD uses the exact same as well(Read 4 PCIe lanes). Plus it can be upgraded like its been before. Since Skylake supports PCIe 4.0, DMI could easily be 2x faster.

 

[witeken]

If Intel is really doing GT4e, I sure hope they are going to add some sort of HSA features to Skylake. Otherwise that's an awful lot of die space that's going to go wasted. OEMs haven't really shown much interest in Iris Pro either so you have to wonder what the point is.

The point is great gaming performance, obviously. From Intel's point of view, they will use their process lead to try to make Nvidia's and AMD's (mobile) GPUs obsolete, probably except the high-end, so more money will go to them. Intel's graphics performance has been criticized for a long time, so Broadwell and Skylake will finally change that.

 

[jdubs03]

The point is great gaming performance, obviously. From Intel's point of view, they will use their process lead to try to make Nvidia's and AMD's (mobile) GPUs obsolete, probably except the high-end, so more money will go to them. Intel's graphics performance has been criticized for a long time, so Broadwell and Skylake will finally change that.

intel is quite far away from making that possible. at least in terms of performance.

 

[Phynaz]

I'm not seeing Skylake making 2015.

 

[Sweepr]

Very interesting indeed. I wonder how much of an improvement Gen9 will be, since it's only 1 year after Broadwell's Gen8. And maybe also even more EUs like 25% more since Gen7 to 8 is 20% more EUs. GT4 with 96EUs would have a die area of about 280mm² when we assume that architectural changes would make it 20% larger and 14nm has a 2.1x scaling.

That would be 120 EUs, 3x Haswell GT3e (40 EUs) + architectural improvements (Gen 7.5 vs Gen 9). Considering Iris Pro still holds its own against AMD's fastest 2014 APU (A10 7850K) Skylake could change the iGPU landscape when it arrives in (H2?) 2015.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Finally something interesting for desktop cpu's. It's been a dull few years.

 

[Idontcare]

Actually, that is surprising. Video editing/encoding, distributed computing, etc., are just a few of the apps that can use nearly as many cores as you can provide. And then there's Chrome, with a tab-per-process model that can take advantage of multiple CPU cores too (right? I don't use Chrome). I know that Firefox only uses a single CPU core though.

Presumably Intel crafts their product mix ratio (cores vs clockspeed matrix) based on the demand profile that customer's create in their purchasing decisions.

I doubt they are waiting for software to "catch up"...if Intel saw a significant shift in customer demand for quad-cores over dual-cores then surely they'd adjust their forecast product mixes accordingly.

Intel is just following the money. It is the consumer who is voting with their wallet, and those votes must be telling Intel to stick with quad-cores for the top-end of their mainstream platform offerings.

Also nice to see that Skylake will indeed launch in 2015, (even) after what BK said in the Q1 conference call (some people suggested that Intel would only start production in H2 with launch in 2016).

I wouldn't take any confidence in such an expectation. Intel has had no qualms pushing out products in the past with as little as 3 months lead time based on a myriad of reasons - be it internal production efficiency concerns relating to yields or fab utilization, or external feedback from OEM channels regarding product inventories and market timing.

With Intel, lately, you cannot count your chickens before they hatch, and I wouldn't count on Skylake's launch date until it actually launches (in part because it's not up to Intel, it is up to Intel's OEM partners as to when they want to sell Skylake to the final end-user).

 

[witeken]

That would be 120 EUs, 3x Haswell GT3e (40 EUs) + architectural improvements (Gen 7.5 vs Gen 9). Considering Iris Pro still holds its own against AMD's fastest 2014 APU (A10 7850K) Skylake could change the iGPU landscape when it arrives in (H2?) 2015.

Hopefully AMD will have a 20nm product by then, because 28nm vs 14nm FinFET would be a big difference. BTW, I wonder if the article means anything specific by "completely new 14nm node."

Also note that those 120EUs were just speculation of me based on extrapolation of what happened at Gen7 -> (Gen 7.5) -> 8.

 

[bullzz]

@Phynaz - i think skylake desktop will be H2 2015. intel has to do a major desktop refresh since its already 1 yr since haswell came out

@Sweepr - where did u get that '3x Haswell GT3e (40 EUs) ' calc

 

[VirtualLarry]

BTW, I wonder if the article means anything specific by "completely new 14nm node."

It would be nice if they were referring to a new high-performance node, for Desktop CPUs specifically, rather than the rather mobile-optimized 14nm that they currently have. It's nice to dream.

 

[Sweepr]

Also note that those 120EUs were just speculation of me based on extrapolation of what happened at Gen7 -> (Gen 7.5) -> 8.

Even if we play safe, lets say GT4 is only 1.5x GT3 (not 2x) and assuming 25% more EUs (Broadwell -> Skylake), then Skylake GT4 will pack 90 EUs. That's still more than double Haswell GT3 and almost 2x the rumoured Broadwell GT3 (and I bet Broadwell's Gen 8 EUs are quite a bit beefier than Haswell's Gen 7.5). Nice to see Intel finally getting serious about IGPs. Now just give me an 6C/12T Haswell-E/Broadwell-E chip for less than <$400.

@ bullzz: Thats was an optimistic projection based on the rumoured Broadwell GT3 (48 EUs) and assuming GT4 has twice as many EUs + 25% more EUs from Broadwell -> Skylake (based on Ivy Bridge -> Haswell).

 

[witeken]

@Sweepr - where did u get that '3x Haswell GT3e (40 EUs) ' calc

I speculated that Gen9 might have something like 25% more EUs because Gen8 will get 20% more EUs, so maybe that trend will continue. In that case, GT4 will have 120EUs, which is 3x as much (theoretical performance) as Haswell GT3's 40EUs (+ all the architectural improvements of Gen 8 and Gen 9).

 

[Shivansps]

Even if we play safe, lets say GT4 is only 1.5x GT3 (not 2x) and assuming 25% more EUs (Broadwell -> Skylake), then Skylake GT4 will pack 90 EUs. That's still more than double Haswell GT3 and almost 2x the rumoured Broadwell GT3 (and I bet Broadwell's Gen 8 EUs are quite a bit beefier than Haswell's Gen 7.5). Nice to see Intel finally getting serious about IGPs. Now just give me an 6C/12T Haswell-E/Broadwell-E chip for less than <$400.

@ bullzz: Thats was an optimistic projection based on the rumoured Broadwell GT3 (48 EUs) and assuming GT4 has twice as many EUs + 25% more EUs from Broadwell -> Skylake (based on Ivy Bridge -> Haswell).

The Broadwell GT4 has supposed to have 96EU, Skylake will be 96 or more UE for sure.

 

[kimmel]

Presumably Intel crafts their product mix ratio (cores vs clockspeed matrix) based on the demand profile that customer's create in their purchasing decisions.

I think this is pretty spot on. I think that customers are voting for cheaper systems so I think Intel is correct in using that shrink to reduce cost instead of adding cores. There again depending on the size of the graphics unit on skylake who knows what die sizes we will see regardless of the 2-4 cores.

 

[Techhog]

AMD uses the exact same as well(Read 4 PCIe lanes). Plus it can be upgraded like its been before. Since Skylake supports PCIe 4.0, DMI could easily be 2x faster.

PCIe 4.0 is already coming? Wow, that's quick...

It'll be years before that's even needed. If Nvidia weren't so picky about SLI, we could see that be taken advantage of PCIe 4.0 16x slots running at 4x speeds while still being able to drive most GPUs. Easy 4-way mGPU on the mainstream platform!