Intel names Haswell intgrated graphics Iris

Lots of meaningless numbers and no specs

Intel - logoRather than actually fix crippling graphics problems for Haswell, Intel is going on a marketing blitz around the word Iris. In case you can’t figure this out, Iris is the new name for Intel integrated graphics on that chip.

There are three GPU levels for Haswell GT1, GT2, and GT3, plus Crystalwell which is now called GT3e. Actually there is another variant, but that is a story for another day. Because simple, logical and useful naming is a firing offense at Intel, the new names are not simple, logical or useful in the slightest.

GT1 graphics are are called “Intel HD graphics” with no trailing number and we were not told it has 10 enhanced Ivy Bridge shaders. GT2 has 20 shaders and is called Intel HD graphics 4200, 4400, and 4600 unless it is on a workstation product where it is labeled P4600 and P4700. The P should stand for Professional but Price is probably a better match. No giggling at the irony there, it isn’t polite to make fun of them until they get working drivers.

GT3 with 40 shaders makes the above names look simple, logical, and useful, but only by comparison. 15W chips get the 5000 number applied while 28W chips add 100 to get to 5100. GT3e which they don’t want to say includes the “10W” version shown at IDF last fall with Crystalwell gets the 5200 number. Why? Who cares, they don’t mean anything anyway and there is no desktop variant either.

We won’t bore you with with meaningless numbers given out and since there were no specs in the presentation we can’t provide you with those either. So that leaves us with linking our own leaks and being snide, something you might have noticed above. Until there is real news, please try not to outright laugh every time someone says Iris from now on.S|A

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Charlie Demerjian

Roving engine of chaos and snide remarks at SemiAccurate
Charlie Demerjian is the founder of Stone Arch Networking Services and SemiAccurate.com. SemiAccurate.com is a technology news site; addressing hardware design, software selection, customization, securing and maintenance, with over one million views per month. He is a technologist and analyst specializing in semiconductors, system and network architecture. As head writer of SemiAccurate.com, he regularly advises writers, analysts, and industry executives on technical matters and long lead industry trends. Charlie is also available through Guidepoint and Mosaic. FullyAccurate