Intel 2014 Enthusiast Processors: New Unlocked Iris Pro CPU Coming to Broadwell
by Ian Cutress on March 19, 2014 8:00 PM EST
In a somewhat uncharacteristic turn from Intel, we were hooked up and loaded in to a press conference call this week regarding the announcement of some exciting new products coming to market. The purpose of the press conference call was to explain some new technologies coming to the scene, as well as Intel stating that they are listening to their userbase, including enthusiasts. As an enthusiast, these announcements make me very excited, although they do produce more questions than they answer.
The announcement is the introduction of a socketed version of Iris Pro, coming to Intel’s Broadwell platform.
So the first big thing here is Iris Pro coming to a socketed platform, which we have requested since the release of Crystal Well BGA parts in devices like the Apple iMac and GIGABYTE BRIX Pro. This should allow users to build SFF socketed systems with Intel’s highest end integrated graphics. What was not mentioned was if this will be a new Iris Pro for Broadwell, or just another Iris Pro HD 5200 part with a Broadwell CPU.
The second big part from this one announcement is that the CPU is said to come fully unlocked. This should mean that the CPU multiplier, CPU strap, memory and the uncore should be fully adjustable - Intel have told us that this part will have a similar set of overclocking tools as the other unlocked parts. Intel are not disclosing what the limits are or what is expected, and equally no information regarding the release date, whether this CPU will come with the Broadwell CPU launch or at a later date afterwards.
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MonkeyPaw - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
Unlocked with a higher TDP might be scary-good, especially if Broadwell packs even more EUs and/or higher clocks.rhx123 - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
Small prediction from me on this CPU: no 16x 3.0 PCIE Lanes.Kevin G - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
To maintain socket compatibility, it will likely have the 16 PCIe lanes.What Intel will neuter will be everything else like TSX, VT-d, ECC memory support etc.
extide - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
Don't believe everything Charlie says.... I mean remember what the name of his site is... afterall..tviceman - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
I still have absolutely no interest in iGPU graphics, especially when Nvidia is demonstrating better performance AND lower power consumption on 28nm with GM107 in mobile form. I'd personally just rather NOT pay the iGPU tax associated with buying a high end processor, and use that money towards any video card I want to get.8steve8 - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
it's a pretty safe bet that a broadwell with iris pro will have lower power consumption than a broadwell + any non integrated GPU... not to mention all the extra materials, resources, and physical space the non-integrated GPU takes.tviceman - Wednesday, March 19, 2014 - link
It's not a safe bet. 20nm GM107 Maxwell should be about 25-30% more efficient than it's current iteration, and the 840m + CPU is already way more efficient than when using a CPU with iris pro running full tilt.http://images.anandtech.com/doci/7834/NVIDIA-GeFor...
duriel - Thursday, March 20, 2014 - link
While the 840m is certainly more efficient, I wouldn't take those numbers at face value.The 840m is paired with a 15w chip (i5-4200U, a dual core i5) while the Iris pro is running on a 47w chip (i7-4750HQ, a quad core i7). That does not explain the whole power gap, but I suspect the power draw of a theoretical Iris Pro + i54200 cpu would be sub-25w. Also, while Skyrim is a typically CPU intensive game, I suppose the low FPS numbers indicate Ultra settings, making it mostly GPU bottlenecked. Perhaps that is why Nvidia chose to pair the 840M with a low power cpu.
rhx123 - Thursday, March 20, 2014 - link
The 840m is not paired with a 4200u because the 4200u does not have 16x3.0 PCIE Lanes.It has to be paired with a standard voltage CPU.
duriel - Thursday, March 20, 2014 - link
I am just quoting from the fineprint on the Nvidia "unmatched efficiency" slide : http://images.anandtech.com/doci/7834/NVIDIA-GeFor...Ok, it says i5 4210U, but I could not find that particular sku online. In any case it would be unrealistic to expect 17 W system power running Skyrim at max on a standard voltage cpu.