Intel Faucets TSMC 5nm For Meteor Lake tGPU, 3nm For Arrow Lake tGPU, Lunar Lake Initially Designed For 15W Mobile CPU Phase

As part of its Pre-HC34 (Hot Chips 34) presentation, Intel gave us an in depth rationalization of it is next-generation CPUs, Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake, & Lunar Lake, which will likely be making use of the Foveros 3D packaging expertise. The firm additionally cleared away some confusion surrounding current rumors concerning the method nodes that it plans to leverage for its multi-chiplet & multi-IP designs.

Intel Meteor Lake, Arrow Lake, Lunar Lake CPUs With 3D Foveros MCM Packaging Detailed: TSMC 5nm tGPU For 14th Gen & 3nm tGPU For fifteenth Gen

Beyond Alder Lake and Raptor Lake CPUs that are the primary designs to function a hybrid core format, Intel is planning to make the most of its 3D Foveros packaging to usher in its personal multi-chiplet period. Chipzilla has deliberate on releasing three merchandise that can leverage this expertise. The next-generation processors embody the 14th Gen Meteor Lake, fifteenth Gen Arrow Lake, and sixteenth Gen Lunar Lake households. Some of the principle highlights of those CPUs could be:

• Intel Next Generation 3D Client Platform
• Disaggregated 3D Client structure with CPU, GPU, SOC, and IO Tiles
• Base tiles for Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake to interconnect tiles with Foveros
• Open “Chiplet” ecosystem by means of common chiplet interconnect categorical (UCIe)

Starting first with Intel Meteor Lake, the corporate confirmed off a model new chip format which supplies us a greater have a look at the assorted tiles or chiplets (as you wish to discuss with them) with varied IPs. The quad-tile format contains the CPU Tile, Graphics Tile, SOC Tile, and IOE Tile. Intel did disclose the precise nodes these tiles could be based mostly upon. The essential CPU tile will likely be utilizing the “Intel 4” or 7nm EUV course of node whereas the SOC Tile and IOE Tiles will likely be fabricated on TSMC’s 6nm course of node (N6). Intel calls Meteor Lake step one into the chiplet ecosystem within the consumer section.

The most speculative tile that has been thus far had been the GPU tile that’s in any other case often called tGPU. There have been rumors that Intel initially deliberate to make use of TSMC’s 3nm course of node however as a result of some points, they modified the plans halfway and tapped into TSMC’s 5nm node as an alternative. We had been in a position to affirm that this is not the case and the tGPU for the Meteor Lake CPUs has at all times been a TSMC 5nm (N5) design.

Another side that was touched upon by Intel is pricing. With prices of next-gen wafer costs going up with each new node, the price of growing a monolithic die can be going to go up. According to Intel itself:

If you had been to take Meteor Lake as it’s and design it monolithically on a number one course of node, I’d say it really is extraordinarily aggressive with that if not really cheaper.

The configuration proven right here can be a mobile-specific chip with a 6+4 (6 P-Cores + 4 E-Cores) format. You may notice that there are two D2D (Die-To-Die) hyperlinks between the CPU/IOE Tile and the Graphics Tile main into the SOC Tile. This is a part of the Foveros 3D Packaging and the blue workforce states that there is a passive interposer on high of the principle chiplets which relies on a 22nm (FFL) course of from Intel itself. This interposer at the moment serves no goal however the firm plans to make use of lively chiplets inside it sooner or later with extra superior packaging applied sciences. The Intel Meteor Lake CPUs do not make the most of EMIB expertise.

Furthermore, Intel clarified that 14th Gen Meteor Lake & fifteenth Gen Arrow Lake CPUs are certainly heading to each Desktop and Mobile platforms. The Intel Meteor Lake CPUs are aiming for the 2023 launch window whereas Arrow Lake will begin delivery in 2024 as initially deliberate. Details on the next-generation LGA 1851 socketed platform for Meteor Lake & Arrow Lake CPUs might be discovered right here.

Intel Meteor Lake-P (6+8) CPU Chip Layout:

As far as sixteenth Gen Lunar Lake CPUs are involved, the household is claimed to be initially aimed on the 15W low-power cellular CPU section nonetheless these authentic plans can at all times change for the reason that product remains to be a number of years away from launch. Furthermore, it will not be the primary time Intel sticks with a mobile-only or partial-desktop launch for a CPU household. We have already seen them do that with Broadwell and extra not too long ago with the Ice Lake and Tiger Lake CPU households.

Intel Mobility CPU Lineup:

Intel 14th Gen Meteor Lake CPUs: Intel 4 Process Node, Tiled Arc GPU Design, Hybrid Cores, 2023 Launch

The 14th Gen Meteor Lake CPUs are going to be a gamer changer within the sense that they’ll undertake a model new tiled structure strategy. Based on the ‘Intel 4’ course of node, the brand new CPUs will likely be providing a 20% enchancment in efficiency per watt by means of EUV expertise and are set to tape out by 2H 2022 (manufacturing-ready). The first Meteor Lake CPUs are scheduled to ship out by 1H 2023 and availability is predicted later the identical yr.

In phrases of CPU structure, the Meteor Lake chips are anticipated to make the most of the Redwood Cove P-Cores and Crestmont E-Cores. While the P-Cores are stated to be based mostly on an analogous design because the Golden Cove and Raptor Cove cores that got here earlier than it, the Crestmont E-Cores will see a serious architectural overhaul. With that stated, we will nonetheless count on some modifications to the Redwood Cove P-Cores such because the cache layouts, and many others.

According to Intel, the 14th Gen Meteor Lake CPUs will function a model new tiled structure and what this mainly means is that the corporate has determined to go full-on chiplet. There are 4 essential tiles on the Meteor Lake CPUs. There’s the IOE Tile, the SOC Tile, the GPU Tile & the Compute Tile. The Compute Tile contains the CPU Tile and GFX Tile. The CPU Tile will likely be making use of a brand new hybrid core design, delivering higher-performance throughput at decrease energy whereas the graphics tile will likely be in contrast to something we have now seen earlier than.

As Raja Koduri acknowledged, the Meteor Lake CPUs will likely be using a tiled Arc graphics powered GPU which is able to make it a wholly new class of graphics on a chip. It’s neither an iGPU nor a dGPU & at the moment thought to be tGPU (Tiled GPU / Next-Gen Graphics Engine). The Meteor Lake CPUs will make the most of the Arc graphics structure, permitting for elevated efficiency on the similar stage of energy effectivity as present built-in GPUs. This may even allow enhanced assist for DirectX 12 Ultimate, Raytracing, and AV1, options which might be solely supported by the Alchemist lineup as of right away.

Intel fifteenth Gen Arrow Lake CPUs: Intel 20A Process Node, Refined Design, Compute & Graphics Leadership, 2024 Launch

The follow-up to Meteor Lake is Arrow Lake and the fifteenth Gen lineup brings with it numerous modifications. While it might be socket appropriate with no matter Meteor Lake lands on, the Redwood Cove cores and Crestmont cores will likely be upgraded to the model new Lion Cove and Skymont cores. These are anticipated to deliver a serious benefit with the uplifted core counts that are anticipated to be 40/48 on the brand new SKUs (8 P-Cores + 32 E-Cores).

Surprisingly, Intel would skip its ‘Intel 4’ node and bounce on to 20A for the Arrow Lake CPUs. One factor that is true for each Meteor Lake and Arrow Lake chips is that they’ll retain their N3 (TSMC) course of node for extra core IPs, presumably the Arc GPU cores. The Intel 20A node delivers a 15% enchancment in efficiency per watt, using next-gen RibbonFET & PowerVia tech, and is scheduled to have the primary IP check wafers working in fabs by the second half of 2022.

The block diagram reveals Meteor Lake with 3 tiles whereas Arrow Lake consists of 4 tiles. We know in regards to the Meteor Lake tiles however no clear indication is talked about for Arrow Lake at the moment.

Intel sixteenth Gen Lunar Lake CPUs: Intel 18A Process Node, Performance Per Watt Leadership, 2025 Launch

Lastly, Intel would move to a model new sixteenth Gen platform often called Lunar Lake and boy that is going to be a giant one. Intel is saying that it’ll not solely have efficiency management but in addition effectivity management over its opponents with the brand new 18A course of node which brings a ten% perf per watt enchancment over the 20A node and in addition makes use of enhanced RibbonFETRR designs with linewidth discount. Intel hopes to have the primary check chips by the primary half of 2022 and the primary IP shuttle by the second quarter although manufacturing is deliberate for 2H 2024 which suggests the launch will happen someday in 2025.

The Lunar Lake CPUs will likely be composed of a 5 tile structure. It can be stunning that Intel left its Nova Lake platform out of yesterday’s presentation however what they’ve proven is already engaging for customers who look ahead to their next-gen lineup. It’s nice to see some wholesome competitors within the desktop (and consumer area normally) from workforce blue.

Intel Mainstream CPU Generations Comparison: