Intel 'Tiger Lake' mobile processors will use new Xe GPU architecture

Intel's next generation of mobile processors, codenamed "Tiger Lake," will help improve machine learning and artificial intelligence on mobile workstations, with high performance gains and a new Xe graphics architecture touted for the chip line.

Chips under the Tiger Lake codename will be made using Intel's already-established 10nm+ process, but will include a variety of extra optimizations to improve performance. The changes included in the mobile-oriented processor is claimed by Intel EVP Gregory Bryant to include "groundbreaking advances in every vector and experience that matters."

As a "first-look" of the processor, the CES 2020 presentation offered a general overview for the chips, which will have optimizations for the CPU, AI accelerators, and the GPU to achieve "double-digit performance gains."

The GPU will be based on Intel's new Xe graphics architecture, an integrated graphics system that will offer "discrete-level" performance, at least double that of earlier versions. This potentially saves vendors like Apple from having to add a separate discrete GPU in their products, as is the case with the 16-inch MacBook Pro line, and some earlier models.

While Tiger Lake's GPU will be integrated into the chip, Intel is also working on making the Xe architecture work for discrete graphics as well. A preview of one such effort, codenamed "DG1," was made onstage at the event, albeit without Intel saying when the project will result in discrete chip production.

Given the likelihood the discrete GPU will be quite similar to the integrated version, one option is for Intel to use both the integrated and discrete GPUs together for enhanced graphical performance. This would, in theory, be similar to how some workstations and gaming PCs use multiple graphics cards in concert, with the workload shared among the collective GPUs.

Intel has been working on its first discrete GPUs for some time, as its integrated versions have not really lived up to the needs of users and device producers, typically forcing the addition of a discrete GPU. The disparity has already forced Intel into working in other directions, such as partnering with long-time rival AMD to combine an Intel CPU with an AMD GPU on the same board.

During the presentation, Intel confirmed it will be the first processor range from the company to include support for Thunderbolt 4.

Intel did not provide processor details as part of the Tiger Lake effort, but it does intend to ship the first chips under the codename later in 2020.

Intel's announcements also covered Project Athena's first verified Chromebooks and an expanded partnership with Google, and new form factor designs including dual-screen and foldable mobile computers. This includes a foldable OLED concept codenamed "Horseshoe Bend," which uses a Tiger Lake processor in a notebook similar in size to one with a 12-inch display, but the folding touchscreen can be unfurled to more than 17 inches.

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29 Comments

donjuan 61 comments · 8 Years

About 4 years ago

Not sure about Intel anymore. AMD is making the breakthroughs.

melgross 33622 comments · 20 Years

More importantly, Tiger Lake will support Thunderbolt 4, at, from what Intel is saying, 4 times the speed of usb, assumed to be the latest 20Gb/s, giving TB 4 a speed of 80Gb/s.

while the early Tiger Lake CPUs will be for thin laptops, later in the year, we can expect that to move to their other lines, hopefully the Xeon, allowing a new PCIe 4 Mac Pro to add TB 4.

this us why I decided to wait.

wood1208 2938 comments · 10 Years

For decades, Intel was king of laptop/desktop/server processors. Now AMD. Here is one example where AMD will win 2020 laptop market. Ryzen 7 4800U features eight Zen 2 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.2GHz boost, 1.8GHz base, eight Radeon cores and 15W TDP. Graphics will be 28% better than Intel's Core i7, 90% better on multi-thread performance and 4% higher on single-thread performance. If no Apple made CPU/GPU than should Apple move to AMD for it's 2020 13(or14" ) MBP and MBA ?

Intel trying to assure customers that they still have many irons in fire to fight back AMD. Time will tell !!!

wood1208 said:

For decades, Intel was king of laptop/desktop/server processors. Now AMD. Here is one example where AMD will win 2020 laptop market. Ryzen 7 4800U features eight Zen 2 cores, 16 threads, up to 4.2GHz boost, 1.8GHz base, eight Radeon cores and 15W TDP. Graphics will be 28% better than Intel's Core i7, 90% better on multi-thread performance and 4% higher on single-thread performance. If no Apple made CPU/GPU than should Apple move to AMD for it's 2020 13(or14" ) MBP and MBA ?
Intel trying to assure customers that they still have many irons in fire to fight back AMD. Time will tell !!!

I don’t expect AMD to “win” anything, and by win, I assume you mean taking a large percentage of marketshare, possibly more than 50%. This has been the dream of AMD enthusiasts for a couple of decades, at least. But realistically, more than 8 cores has little benefit for most anyone. It’s not as thought Intel is standing still. Now with 10nm on line, equivelant to about everyone else’s 7nm, we’ll see them equalizing the competitive landscape. It could take a year or so to do it, but they will. Intel was counted out before, but the soothsayers were proven wrong. I predict they will be again.

baka-dubbs 179 comments · 13 Years

melgross said:

I don’t expect AMD to “win” anything, and by win, I assume you mean taking a large percentage of marketshare, possibly more than 50%. This has been the dream of AMD enthusiasts for a couple of decades, at least. But realistically, more than 8 cores has little benefit for most anyone. It’s not as thought Intel is standing still. Now with 10nm on line, equivelant to about everyone else’s 7nm, we’ll see them equalizing the competitive landscape. It could take a year or so to do it, but they will. Intel was counted out before, but the soothsayers were proven wrong. I predict they will be again.

I think AMD consistently gaining market share in server, HEDT, and consumer desktop space is definitely "winning" for them, but it doesn't mean intel has to "lose". My excitement for AMD is based around their consistent IPC improvement with Ryzen. They currently are matching intel in single core performance in many applications at lower clock speeds. I can't help but be reminded of intel in the Pentium 4 days. They just kept pushing clock speed without improving the IPC of their chips. I feel like their entire "lake" series of chips is just slight clock speed bumps without much improvement in chip design. I also don't see anything on their published roadmap that really changes this. The 10nm transition will allow them to improve power efficiency and boosts clock some more, but it may be time for a redesign like the P4 days where they switched to the Pentium M architecture.
AMD bet big on the chiplet design with the infinity fabric, and they have been consistently delivering. Even if Apple never adopts AMD chips, they benefit from the massive price drops Intel has been forced to make to stay competitive in the desktop space. If AMD can deliver similar results in the mobile space, it will force intel's hand on the mobile pricing. Seeing vendors at CES debuting new laptop models with AMD chips is not something that I remember ever happening, and has to have at least put a little fear in team blue.
**Anyone who didn't read about the intel price cuts, they were around 50% on the high end skylake chips, because the cascade lake chips were launching with the same core counts at much lower prices.