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Haswell Integrated Graphics Promise 2-3X Performance Boost
crookedvulture writes "Intel has revealed fresh details about the integrated graphics in upcoming Haswell processors. The fastest variants of the built-in GPU will be known as Iris and Iris Pro graphics, with the latter boasting embedded DRAM. Unlike Ivy Bridge, which reserves its fastest GPU implementations for mobile parts, the Haswell family will include R-series desktop chips with the full-fat GPU. These processors are likely bound for all-in-one systems, and they'll purportedly offer close to three times the graphics performance of their predecessors. Intel says notebook users can look forward to a smaller 2X boost, while 15-17W ultrabook CPUs benefit from an increase closer to 1.5X. Haswell's integrated graphics has other perks aside from better performance, including faster Quick Sync video transcoding, MJPEG acceleration, and support for 4K resolutions. The new IGP will support DirectX 11.1, OpenGL 4.0, and OpenCL 1.2, as well." Note: Same story, different words, at Extreme Tech and Hot Hardware.
is that Intel provides very nice open source drivers for their integrated GPUs
Think of these chips with integrated graphics like hybrid cars. You're not gonna go down to the drag strip with them, or haul a camper, or pick up the 10 kid carpool group. But for the vast majority of trips you'll get to the same destination is basically the same amount of time, with less noise and higher efficiency.
So unexpected that you can't even name one!
Intel GPUs are fine for 99% of use. Heck, most games run fine on them. Sure the latest Call of Honor: Medal of Duty will not run on UItra, but most games will be fine on medium and low settings.
actually, video editing doesn't really benefit from a discrete GPU since the damn encoding support is still crap. Most of the various software I've looked at still get more bang from a better CPU then GPU encoding and if you're in the industry like ILM/Pixar, then you aint using GPU encoding anyhow - its mainly dedicated ASICS and such. For someone doing it as a hobby, they're buying a video card specifically supported by their software so it makes no god damn difference to 99.99 percent of the folks out there that onboard graphics suck.
In my case, small business owner; I've been planning a new build for 4th quarter (part of my 4yr replacement cycle) based on a Xeon E3 1275 with onboard graphics because the system purpose doesn't need much in the way of a GPU. It's a development system (builds and Database work) so why waste money. Hell all of my employees systems are onboard graphics just to save a few bucks that's better spent on more ram or a slightly better cpu. As with anyone, trade-offs are required when building/specing our systems and as a business, we tend to go with the cheapest configurations we can get. Keep in mind that the cheapest configuration does not mean the cheapest parts. We learned a long time ago that spending a bit more for quality hardware resulted in less downtime.
Mod me up/Mod me down: I wont frown as I've no crown
The discussion was explicitly on whether what Intel is doing here is useful. For the majority of the market, the answer is yes.
There are areas where OpenCL and Cuda are useful. That is in no way relevant to the discussion. Noone is saying that powerful hardware is useful, we're saying that most users have no need for it and that integrated graphics are actually useful to actual people.