Intel Haswell Fastest video chip for notebooks only?

Haswell, Intel's upcoming x86 architecture, will be based on the same 22 nm transistors as the current Ivy Bridge chips. For now, it seems that the laptop and desktop processors, slated for Q2 of 2013, will only be available in dual or quad-core versions, making it likely that the Sandy Bridge-E platform will remain the fastest for now.

The most important improvement that the Haswell chips bring about is the video chip. Earlier reports mentioned that the new GPU is up to three times as fast as Intel's current HD 4000 top model. For the Haswell generation, three video chips will be available, the GT1, GT2 and GT3. Oddly enough, the leaked information shows that neither of the desktop processors will feature the fastest GT3 video chip. Two laptop models, however, will feature the chip. One of these processors is intended for Ultrabooks and tablets, while the other is meant for high-end 'regular' notebooks.

Whether this is a big disadvantage for desktop users depends mostly on user preference. Normally, parts of the graphics chip are disabled to create slower versions. Intel does things a little differently, as the GT2 chips are created out of a different wafer as its GT3 models. Furthermore, dual-core and quad-core processors are made using different wafers as well. The advantage is that the chip loses less space and energy to the GPU, leaving more for other components. Perhaps most importantly though is that it allows the chips to be sold at a lower price point.

Platform	Cores	Video chip	Memory controllers	Socket	Max RAM
Desktop	4	GT2	2	LGA	32 GB
Desktop	2	GT2	2	LGA	32 GB
Mobile (performance)	4	GT3	2	BGA	32 GB
Mobile (mainstream)	4	GT2	2	BGA / rPGA	32 GB
Mobile (mainstream)	2	GT2	2	BGA / rPGA	16 GB
Mobile (ULT)	2	GT3	2	BGA	16 GB
Mobile (ULT)	2	GT2	1	BGA	8 GB

Source: http://uk.hardware.info

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Intel Haswell to be 10+ percent faster than Ivy Bridge

Intel internally calls Haswell its “fourth generation” Core processor micro architecture, and we believe that Intel counts only major steps in its development.

Its first Core architecture was called Conroe /Merom in 65nm, followed by Nehalem in 45nm, Sandy Bridge in 32nm and Haswell will be the second 22nm core with a new architecture.

Intel still plays its old tick-tock game and Haswell is a major step, or a tock, while Broadwell is 14nm shrunk version of the Haswell architecture. A more obvious example is Sandy Bridge in 32nm, a tock in Intel’s development cycle, while the most recent Core processor is a tick, and it is based on 22nm Ivy Bridge core.

Now Intel tells its partners to expect that Haswell should end up at least 10 percent faster than Ivy Bridge based cores at the same clock. These numbers are based on pre-silicon projections that Intel always does before it gets the working prototype back, but since we are some month away from the IDF 2012 in San Francisco, we are quite sure that we will see Haswell again, much closer to its final design, and we even expect to see Broadwell prototypes to hit at least one of the keynotes.

Intel also hints at enhanced based overclocking and end user tunability, which sounds promising to many enthusiasts. If all goes well for Intel, Haswell should be quite a nice piece of hardware once it ships in Q2 2013.

Source: fudzilla.com

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Intel Haswell GPU chip 3x faster than Ivy Bridge

Sources of Fudzilla claim that Intel's upcoming Haswell processor will have an integrated GPU that is three times as fast as the current HD 4000 GPU, present in the Ivy Bridge chips. Confidential roadmaps have shown a comparison from which this conclusion was drawn. The fourth generation of the Core architecture and Intel's latest tick promises exceptionally fast 3D performance. Converting video material will allegedly also be twice to three times as fast.

If the rumours are true, Intel's Haswell could potentially outshine Nvidia's and AMD's entry-level graphics cards. In the mobile segment, the Haswell chip could also make a discrete graphics card unncessary for mainstream and entry-level notebooks.

Nvidia has responded to the news by stating that if Intel is capable of offering better performance with Haswell's integrated graphics chip, Nvidia will try to position faster graphics cards in the entry-level segment. AMD is likely to face the same decision, with the advantage being the APUs that AMD has to offer, which already feature relatively powerful graphics chips.

Intel's Haswell processors are expected to launch in the second quarter of 2013.

Source: hardware.info

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Intel's 40 Touchscreen Ultrabooks in Pipeline

Intel's Ultrabook Symposium starts tomorrow in Taipei, but Netbook News have sat down with Navin Shenoy, Vice President of Intel Architecture Group and General Manager of Mobile Client Platform before the event starts, to talk about various topics before the event itself.

Shenoy has confirmed that there are 140 Ultrabook designs, with only 35 of these being seen by the public. As of next month, we should expect sub-$700 Ultrabooks, across the Ultrabook board, with more than one model. One of the biggest nuggets of information here is that there are set to be 40 Windows 8-based Ultrabooks with Touch launching in Q4 of this year.

This means before the end of this year, and the end of Mayan long-count calender (and all the doom associated with it), Intel are Microsoft (and various partners) are set to unleash 40 Ultrabooks with touch screens, which is exciting news. Intel's fourth-generation Core processor, Haswell, is destined for the 22nm process, and will be the first System-on-Chip (SoC) for PC. Shenoy pointed out that the idle power consumption of Haswell will be 20 times less than Ivy Bridge, this in itself is an amazing achievement. Haswell is also said to not just be an incremental step forward, but a giant leap in performance.

I'm genuinely excited about the future of the PC, in this 'post-PC' world. I really want to get my hands on a 1080p (or above) touch-screen Ultrabook running Windows 8. Gimme, gimme, gimme.

Source: tweaktown.com

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Intel Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition CPU for Q4

Intel is preparing a new flagship processor for Q4 2012, according to report by DonanimHaber. The upcoming Core i7-3970X is based on the 32nm Sandy Bridge-E architecture and will pick up where the current i7-3960X left off, offering the same six cores with a dozen threads but with slightly higher clock speeds at 3.5GHz stock and 4.0GHz turbo.

Being an Extreme Edition processor it will also ship with an unlocked base-clock multiplier for easy overclocking. The rest of its feature set is consistent with the 3960X, including the LGA2011 package, 15MB shared L3 cache, and quad-channel DDR3 controller supporting up to 64 GB of DDR3-1600 MHz memory. The new chip will likely replace the current 3960X flagship at the $1,000 price point.

Intel launched LGA 2011 as a replacement for LGA 1366 for the performance segment in November 2011. There are currently three Sandy Bridge-E processors available for the platform: an entry-level quad-core Core i7-3820, a mainstream Core i7-3930K with six cores and the top-of-the-line Core i7 Extreme 3960X.

Although Intel’s Ivy Bridge architecture was launched earlier this year, enthusiast-level Ivy Bridge-E parts are not expected to arrive until sometime in the first half of 2013. At that point they’ll likely overlap with new Haswell desktop parts, just like 22nm Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge-E platforms coexist right now.

Source: Techspot.com

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Intel Lynx Chipset features 25 percent lower TDP

Intel is really serious about getting its TDP levels down with every generation. Despite the current enthusiasm for ARM tablets, Intel still has quite a lot to offer in mobile space, especially in notebooks and convertible ultrabooks.

The next generation scheduled for mid-2013 codenamed Haswell is a second-generation 22nm part with the Lynx chipset that has 25 percent lower TDP and 50 percent lower average power consumption than the current Panther Point chipset. These numbers are projected and not based on actual data measured in real life tests, so in the end they might deviate a somewhat from the projections.

Intel also brings a power optimizer CPPM part that should help to drive the power requirements further down. The most interesting part is that Lynx chipset also has support for 15nm Broadwell chipset that is expected by mid-2014 timeframe.

Intel advertises this chipset as the lowest power and the most feature rich one to date. It sure looks interesting and supports all the latest technologies you can imagine including 4 SATA 6Gb/s, 6 USB 3.0, up to 8 PCIe 1X Gen 2, the ability to interconnect easily with Intel Clarkwill GbE PHY, Wilkins Peak Wimax, Intel HD audio, VGA, a lot of RAID functionality, Intel Active Management Technology 9.0, Rapid start and smart response and many other goodies.

Ultrabooks and notebooks in the latter half of 2013 will sure look feature packed.

Source: fudzilla

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Next Gen Intel Haswell Offers Wide Range of TDP and Performance Points

It looks like Intel's next generation 22nm Haswell 'tock' CPUs are going to be very interesting, offering a wide range of TDP and performance points, along with great overclocking potential. First up, we have the ULV parts for ultrabooks.

Current Ivy Bridge ULV parts are rated at a 17W TDP, plus a bit for the separate South Bridge chipset. The Haswell equivalent will consume 15W... with the chipset integrated! This will bring significant improvements to power use and performance, while saving on motherboard space which is at a premium in a portable device. These will be dual core parts, with a choice of one to three graphics units, all at the same 15W TDP.

Next we have higher performance parts. These will demand a different socket and won't have the chipset integrated, but will have the option of two or four CPU cores, with a TDP of 37W & 47W respectively.

Finally, we have the high performance class. These chips will offer GT3 graphics, L4 cache on a separate die in the CPU package, connected over a wide backside bus. These will be rated at a still frugal 57W TDP while offering high performance. Together with the overclocking potential of Haswell that we recently reported, it sounds like exciting times are ahead. Can't wait.

Source: legitreviews

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Intel Haswell 22nm Processors Will Launch in March 2013

Even though Intel has yet to release its new 22nm Core processors based on the Ivy Bridge architecture, sources in Taiwan have already found out when the chip giant plans to introduce its next-gen Haswell CPUs.

According to DigiTimes, the outfit has scheduled the official introduction of these processors, and that of the accompanying Lynx Point chipsets, for March of 2013.

No specific date was mentioned as we are still a year away from the alleged launch, but this report seems to confirm a leaked Intel slide, which made its appearance about a month ago, revealing that Haswell is scheduled for a March-June release.

This previous report also mentioned that Intel would go for a multi-stage launch for Heswell, the first chips to arrive making part of the Core i5 and Core i7 product lines.

These will cover the mainstream and performance sector, while the lower-end Core i3 processors are expected to be launched later next year.

Haswell will be a “Tock” on Intel’s roadmap, meaning that it has an entirely new architecture built using the 22nm production node.

With Haswell, Intel plans to split its product range into two distinct groups.

The first group includes the company's desktop and notebook processors, while the latter is especially designed for Ultrabooks and drops the usual 2-chip platform approach that Intel has been using for quite some time in favor of a system-on-a-chip (SoC) design.

Desktop CPUs will feature either two of four processing cores with TDPs of 35, 45, 65 or 95 Watt, and will include a dual-channel DDR3/DDR3L memory controller, as well as GT2 or GT1 integrated graphics cores.

Mobile chips will be available in the same dual or quad-core configurations, but feature the more powerful Intel GT3 GPU, while the memory controller only supports DDR3L DIMMs.

Other features include support for the DirectX 11.1 API, support for the AVX2 instruction set, as well as a series of IPC improvements meant to increase single-thread performance.

Source: Softpedia.com

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Samsung creates first module of 16 GB DDR4 Ram

While DDR4 memory won't be available to consumers anytime soon, development on the standard and matching hardware has almost been completed.

Samsung was one of the first to produce a DDR4 module, in December 2010. Back then it was a 2 GB module, based on 30nm memory chips.

Since then, the technology has developed quite a bit, as the first 8 GB and 16 GB modules have been produced. The memory is of the RDIMM type and is designed for use in professional servers.

Samsung cooperates with processor manufacturers and system builders, who can use the DDR4 memory to increase the performance at a lower power consumption. Samsung wants to transition to 20nm memory chips, which - compliant to the DDR4 specifications - require a 1.2V voltage. This would make the modules up to 40 percent more efficient than the latest low-voltage DDR3 modules at 1.35V. The new DDR4 standard isn't just more energy efficient, but should also allow for increased performance and a more efficient data processing.

Samsung will continue to develop the DDR4 technology, to ensure JEDEC compliance. It's expected that the DDR4 standard will be finalized in August. If that is the case, it would take at least up until next year for mass production of DDR4 to start. By the time that 20nm memory chips can be used, the capacity of a single RDIMM module may have well been doubled to 32 GB.

The first processors with a DDR4 controller have yet to be revealed. The latest reports state that Intel's regular 'Haswell' chip is based on DDR3 memory, while the high-end Haswell-EP platform will use the new standard. It's expected that it will take a while for AMD to adopt DDR4.

Samsung has played a leading role in the development of new memory standards. In 2001, it first showed DDR2 memory, which was followed up by DDR3 in 2005. In both cases, the manufacturer revealed their modules long before the standards were implemented.

Source: Hardware.info

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Intel Reveals Atom "Avoton" for Micro-Servers Due Next Year

Intel Corp. has outlined its vision and roadmap for microservers and discussed how they best suited to handle emerging “scale-out” applications. According to Intel, in a bid to ensure truly high performance when it is needed and truly maximum power efficiency when it is required, the industry needs infrastructure that supports both high-performance Xeon chips as well as low-power Atom chips.

"I believe the industry needs infrastructure that allows them to deploy servers in an efficient manner and have different versions that meet their requirements. Not only do the servers have to adapt to a range of requirements, but they should have the full set of features that customers require: 64-bit pointers and arithmetic, ECC, virtualization support, software compatibility and offer it across both brawny and wimpy cores," said Jason Waxman, general manager of the cloud infrastructure group at Intel.

In a bid to avoid "brawny" (Xeon) versus "wimpy" (Atom) decision making for data centers, Intel proposes to install both Atom-based and Xeon-based nodes and then let software to decide which nodes to use. The exact approach of the initial implementation was not disclosed, but it is likely that at first it may either include different servers or HP Gemini-like infrastructure, whereas eventually heterogeneous many-core microprocessors with different x86 cores for servers may emerge.

The Intel executive provided an update on Intel's roadmap for microservers including new generations of Intel Xeon "Haswell" processors and Intel Atom architecture based 22nm SoC chips codenamed "Avoton", both scheduled for 2013. Unfortunately, Intel did not provide any details about the new Avoton chip, but given the fact that Intel wants Haswell and Avoton to co-exist in data centers, general capabilities of Avoton and Haswell should be in many cases similar.

"Datacenter infrastructure architects and IT decision makers have enough decisions to make. Given the uncertainty in the evolution of code, it’s only going to get harder to predict the ideal infrastructure. As hardware developers, we need to give customers the opportunity to have infrastructure flexibility and a choice of options that maintain consistency of features and compatibility," said Mr. Waxman.

Source: Xbitlabs.com

Tags: Atom, Avoton, Haswell, Intel, Processor, Servers, Xeon

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Intel Haswell-EP Brings DDR4 Ram

There is a constant and increasing competition between the CPU and GPU segment and therefore Intel plans to move away from its traditional models namely 65, 95, 130W to something more of 120, 135 145 and 160W TDP.

Haswell will be up to 16 cores in one chip and these monsters will come into the market around the second half of 2014.

The TDP’s will off course vary along with clock speeds according to their respected models. Now coming onto the point that’s the interesting bit for overclockers out there is the power draw.

On Turbo mode, it take up to 120 amps while the new Haswell silicon has been designed to take up to a massive 190 amps on AIR! So think of it this way, you’re an overclocking king if you’d manage to sustain 190A at sub zero temperatures and up the voltage to around 1.5+ volts which totals to around 300W.

Coming onto the platform, the 2013-2014 server and workstation platforms will be known as Grantly that support both DDR3 and DDR4 with a large number of memory options. This all won’t be shown to the public though until IDF Fall 2013 (that too behind closed doors) or any future trade show in 2014.

Source: Insidehw

Tags: Intel, Haswell, DDR4, Processor, Ram

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Intel's Haswell Processor to be Overclocker's Best Friend?

Intel has been showing a prototype of the Haswell-EP platform, called Grantley to a lucky few in the press.

Intel will be bringing out higher TDP processors for this platform, packing up to 16 cores, with the CPUs being available at different clock speeds and with different amounts of enabled cores. All of them will exceed the 95W TDP envelope of Sandy Bridge (the new Ivy Bridge TDP is 77W).

According to Intel, these CPUs will come in at 120W, 135W, 145W and 160W TDP. This will require some heavy duty cooling to cope with it, especially in hot countries.

Such high power draws require dedicated four and five rail power lines to feed these monsters, with the prototype on show running at less than 100 amps under 'typical' workloads. However, Turbo Mode made the current consumption hit 120 amps.

The real jewel in the crown though, is that Haswell silicon is designed to work at up to 190 amps with just air cooling! This may make for new overclocking champions under LN2, allowing power use to hit a massive 300W or so. The new platform also supports 8 lanes of DDR3 or DDR4 memory. Product availability is due possibly in late 2013 at the earliest, but 2014 is much more likely.

Source: Legitreviews

Tags: Intel, Haswell, Processor

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