Intel Shares Details on New 'Iris' Integrated Graphics for Haswell Chips

Thursday May 2, 2013 8:19 am PDT by Eric Slivka

As noted by The Verge, Intel late yesterday released details on its next-generation integrated graphics offerings arriving as part of the company's Haswell processor lineup. The new graphics options consist of three primary levels: an Intel HD Graphics 5000 to be packaged as part of 15-watt chips destined for ultrabooks, an Intel "Iris" Graphics 5100 to be paired with 28-watt mid-range chips targeted at larger ultrabooks, and an Intel "Iris Pro" Graphics 5200 for the highest-power chips.

The company claims its new Intel "Iris" Graphics, embedded in upcoming Haswell CPUs, can offer double or triple the performance of the Intel HD Graphics 4000 that comes with current Ivy Bridge processors. That's significant: typically each generation offers only a double-digit percentage boost.

That doesn't mean every new Haswell processor will come with quite that level of graphics performance, though.

haswell_iris_graphics
AnandTech has more, highlighting how ultrabooks, which would include Apple's MacBook Air, will see a lesser but still significant boost in graphics performance with Intel HD Graphics 5000.

Although Ultrabooks (now 15W) won’t get full blown Iris performance, they should still see a healthy increase in GPU performance compared to where they are today (50% improvement in 3DMark) at a lower TDP. The move to a full speed GT3 part (Iris) should more than double performance in 3DMark.

Apple is expected to embrace Intel's forthcoming Haswell chips in its next-generation notebook lineup, which may be introduced as soon as next month's Worldwide Developers Conference.

Top Rated Comments

Kissaragi

136 months ago

Blah blah blah, every year Intel produces a new CPU that's suppose to be faster and more efficient, as if the previous one was slow as molasses and every year people here fall for it and get in the mood of "Gotta have it, Gotta have it". And people say that Apple is the one trying to make all sorts of profits. ;)

How dare intel make progress! Its just awful, a pentium 4 was fast enough for everyone.

Score: 50 Votes (Like | Disagree)

elpamyelhsa

Mmm, I would love some Iris in my Retina.

Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)

wildmac

Looks like a good starting point for the new Mac Pro, or if the Mac Pro has to use Xeon just call the lower end machine a Mac. Either way I would buy a core i7 tower Mac today if it were available.

What?.. a tower using an integrated graphics chip instead of a dedicated video card?

Talk about killing off the MacPro..

Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Elijahg

Oh great, so Intel integrated GPUs will now be just 80% slower than a dedicated AMD/Nvidia one instead of 90%!

Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Jacquesvw

Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)

keysofanxiety

Well, they do release faster chips each year, no 'suppose' about it. It's the tick-tock cycle; they're not at all secretive about when they're releasing new chips. Even though the performance of their CPU absolutely blitz the likes of AMD, they continue to release better CPUs as and when they can -- and there's nothing wrong with that IMHO.

Unless you'd prefer they released new chips every 2 years, meaning you're paying 2013 prices for 2011 hardware? Now that's the Apple mentality. ;)

Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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