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posted by Fnord666 on Friday January 15 2021, @01:19AM   Printer-friendly

Intel is splitting its high-end Tiger Lake mobile chip lineup to meet two TDP targets: 35 Watts and 45 Watts. Tiger Lake-H35 chips have been launched, with 4 cores, 8 threads, and 96 graphics "Xe" (Gen12) execution units. Later in Q1, Intel will launch 45 Watt TDP Tiger Lake with up to 8 cores, 16 threads.

Intel has also launched new "Jasper Lake" Celeron/Pentium chips on a "10nm" process node. Jasper Lake uses the Tremont Atom core previously used in Lakefield. TDPs range from 6-10 Watts. 16 GB of memory is explicity supported, up from 8 GB of Gemini Lake Refresh (although boards like the ODROID-H2+ supported 32 GB, go figure). Graphics performance of the Pentium Silver N6005 should be substantially higher than its predecessor due to the use of Gen11 graphics and an increase to 32 execution units.

See also: Intel says the Iris Xe Max isn't really for gaming. They're not wrong
Intel Confirms 10nm Ice Lake Xeon Production Has Started
Intel Appoints Pat Gelsinger as New CEO, From Feb 15th
Intel Launches 11th Gen vPro For Tiger Lake Mobile CPUs, Adds CET Security Tech
An Interview with Intel CEO Bob Swan: Roundtable Q&A on Fabs and Future

Also at Ars Technica, The Verge, Notebookcheck, and Wccftech.

Related: Intel Details Tremont Microarchitecture; x86 Atom Could be Used in Tablets Again


Original Submission

Related Stories

Intel Details Lakefield CPU SoC With 3D Packaging and Big/Small Core Configuration 9 comments

Intel Lakefield SoC With Foveros 3D Packaging Previewed – 10nm Hybrid CPU Architecture Featuring Sunny Cove, Gen 11 Graphics and More

Intel Lakefield is based around Foveros technology which helps connect chips and chiplets in a single package that matches the functionality and performance of a monolithic SOC. Each die is then stacked using FTF micro-bumps on the active interposer through which TSVs are drilled to connect with solder bumps and eventually the final package. The whole SOC is just 12×12 (mm) which is 144mm2.

Talking about the SOC itself and its individual layers, the Lakefield SOC that has been previewed consists of at least four layers or dies, each serving a different purpose. The top two layers are composed of the DRAM which will supplement the processor as the main system memory. This is done through the PoP (Package on Package) memory layout which stacks two BGA DRAMs on top of each other as illustrated in the preview video. The SOC won't have to rely on socketed DRAM in this case which saves a lot of footprint on the main board.

The second layer is the Compute Chiplet with a Hybrid CPU architecture and graphics, based on the 10nm process node. The Hybrid CPU architecture has a total of five individual Cores, one of them is labeled as the Big Core which features the Sunny Cove architecture. That's the same CPU architecture that will be featured on Intel's upcoming 10nm Ice Lake processors. The Sunny Cove Core is optimized for high-performance throughput. There are also four small CPUs that are based on the 10nm process but optimized for power efficiency. The same die [has] Intel's Gen 11 graphics engine with 64 Execution Units.

[...] [Last] of all is the base die which serves as the cache and I/O block of the SOC. Labeled as the P1222 and based on a 22FFL process node, the base die comes with a low cost and low leakage design while providing a feature-rich array of I/O capabilities.

It would be nice to finally see some consumer CPUs with stacked DRAM, although the amount was not specified (8 GB?).

Intel video (1m48s). Also at Notebookcheck.

Previously: Intel Announces "Sunny Cove", Gen11 Graphics, Discrete Graphics Brand Name, 3D Packaging, and More
Intel Promises "10nm" Chips by the End of 2019, and More


Original Submission

Intel Details Tremont Microarchitecture; x86 Atom Could be Used in Tablets Again 4 comments

Intel's new Atom Microarchitecture: The Tremont Core in Lakefield

While Intel has been discussing a lot about its mainstream Core microarchitecture, it can become easy to forget that its lower power Atom designs are still prevalent in many commercial verticals. Last year at Intel's Architecture Summit, the company unveiled an extended roadmap showing the next three generations of Atom following Goldmont Plus: Tremont, Gracemont, and 'Future Mont'. Tremont is set to be launched this year, coming first in a low powered hybrid x86 design called Lakefield for notebooks, and using a new stacking technology called Foveros built on 10+ nm. At the Linley Processor Conference today, Intel unveiled more about the microarchitecture behind Tremont.

[...] The Atom core within a given family is usually identical (L2 [cache] configuration might change), and because of the SoC in play, it might get a different name based on the market where it was headed. Intel scrapped the smartphone program back with Broxton in 2016, and the tablet type of SoC has also gone away. With Lakefield, combining Core and Atom, it could be used in Tablets again for 2019/2020, but we will see it in Notebooks with the Surface Pro Neo and in networking/embedded markets as Snow Ridge.

[...] The interesting thing here in our briefing with Intel is that they specifically stated that Tremont was built with performance in mind, and the aim was for a sizeable uptick in the raw clock-for-clock throughput compared to the previous generation Atom, Goldmont Plus. Based on Intel's own metrics, namely using SPEC, Intel is going to claim an average 30% iso-frequency performance uplift in core performance for Tremont over Goldmont Plus. It's worth noting here that this data is from an early Tremont design we were told, and should represent minimum uplifts.

[...] A 30% average jump in performance is a sizeable jump for any generation-to-generation cadence. Just taking it as-is feels premature: aside from microarchitectural advancements and a jump to 10nm, there has to be something at play here – either the power budget of Atom has ballooned, or the die area. With Intel explicitly out of the gate stating that their focusing on performance, a cynic is going to suggested that something else has paid that price, and to that end Intel wasn't prepared to talk about power windows or die area, though they did point to the already announced Lakefield CPU, which has a 1 x Core + 4 x Tremont design

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  • (Score: 2) by Snotnose on Friday January 15 2021, @03:16AM (2 children)

    by Snotnose (1623) on Friday January 15 2021, @03:16AM (#1100358)

    Based on what I've heard of their shrinking failures, and their "oops, we assumed a smaller tech and now we have heat/performance issues", one has to wonder.

    These may sound well and good, but can Intel actually make the things? Or will they need to subcontract TSMC and friends (well, no friends. TSMC is the leader).

    Enquiring minds want to know.

    --
    Why shouldn't we judge a book by it's cover? It's got the author, title, and a summary of what the book's about.
    • (Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Friday January 15 2021, @04:13AM

      by takyon (881) <reversethis-{gro ... s} {ta} {noykat}> on Friday January 15 2021, @04:13AM (#1100380) Journal

      Indications are that "10nm" is working better than ever before. But notice:

      1. They have been coming out with mobile "10nm" first. These are easier to make and don't have to reach the same clocks.
      2. They are backporting "10nm" Willow Cove cores as "14nm" Cypress Cove cores on Rocket Lake in March.
      3. When they do release a true "10nm" desktop CPU, Alder Lake (supposedly in late 2021), that will have 8 big "Golden Cove" cores and 8 small "Gracemont" Atom cores. They are changing their strategy dramatically and part of the reason could be high power consumption and heat.

      Intel has been planning to make some GPU products at TSMC, but TSMC could begin making Intel CPUs as well:

      TSMC To Produce Intel Core i3 CPUs on 5nm Process Node in 2H 2021, 3nm Mainstream & High-End CPUs Enter Mass Production in 2H 2022 [wccftech.com]

      --
      [SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
    • (Score: 2) by fakefuck39 on Friday January 15 2021, @04:34AM

      by fakefuck39 (6620) on Friday January 15 2021, @04:34AM (#1100391)

      actually intel's mobile lineup has been extremely successful since they got into that space. it's what's running all the little laptops, convertible touchscreen laptops, and netbooks. things like lenovo yoga. they have batteries that last a full day, they're thin and light as paper, and they run a full blown windows, and it's quite fast.

      arm is not the competition for these processors. there only competition is amd mobile, and intel beats them in every category. and there are thousands of these little laptops sold daily. i take one with me when I travel. don't care if i break or lose it. you can get work done on them just fine too - visio, powerpoint, xwindows apps, browsing - just not video editing.

      so why would they pay someone else to help them lead more, when they are currently leading in the target market?

      now, as far as their fab scaling down issues - i'm not seeing any. first, intel 10nm is not measured on the same scale as samsung 5nm. different metrics for what that "nm" measures. what you're seeing is a lot of detailed info on how they get a process to work, and assume those are failures. that's like standing behind someone while they write code, seeing constant compilation errors, and assuming they're having issues. they're not.

      in fact, one thing intel does that others don't, is be conservative. this comes after they got burned by the original pentium, and had to exchange all those CPUs for free. AMD and ARM release stuff that's brand spanking new and on the latest fab. Intel does not. Heck, all their datacenter CPUs is on 14nm - because it's more proven, and companies place more cost on risk than saving a few thousand bucks on CPUs for a million dollar server farm. And still beats the crap out of AMD, despite AMD using a less proven shiny new fab.

  • (Score: -1, Offtopic) by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 15 2021, @04:48AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday January 15 2021, @04:48AM (#1100401)

    Gotta ask, why did they do this? Self-loathing? Or was Runaway1956 involved?

  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by RedGreen on Friday January 15 2021, @01:15PM (4 children)

    by RedGreen (888) on Friday January 15 2021, @01:15PM (#1100531)

    The situation is pretty bad when even the trolls are not out commenting on their problems in masses. And apparently the fan boys have abandoned them too not a peep in sight from them, these type of postings use to be full of both. You know you have lost them, could not happen to a better bunch of scumbags who have held the computer industry hostage for years. Enjoy the bad times assholes.

    --
    "I modded down, down, down, and the flames went higher." -- Sven Olsen
    • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday January 15 2021, @04:16PM (1 child)

      by Freeman (732) on Friday January 15 2021, @04:16PM (#1100594) Journal

      What's happened is that Intel hasn't hit a homerun recently. Whereas AMD has been knocking it out of the park for the last couple of releases. AMD seems to be cranking them out like hot cakes while Intel's offerings are just kind of sitting there. Nvidia is pushing AMD as well, but you can still generally put your hands on newer Nvidia GPUs for reasonable prices. Which seems to indicate that they also don't have as pressing of a supply/demand issue.

      --
      Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"
    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 16 2021, @12:50PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Saturday January 16 2021, @12:50PM (#1101136)

      Consumer sentiment means jack shit to Intel. I don't think you're grasping how huge they are, and how many pies their fingers are in.

      • (Score: 2) by RedGreen on Saturday January 16 2021, @07:49PM

        by RedGreen (888) on Saturday January 16 2021, @07:49PM (#1101235)

        Yeah, they probably could care less that Apple and AMD are kicking their ass, those many millions of processors are nothing for their revenue anyways, probably just a rounding error.

        --
        "I modded down, down, down, and the flames went higher." -- Sven Olsen
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