Rumor: Intel Skylake GPUs get 5xx naming

Intel is getting rid of its four-digit naming convention for GPUs for its processors. Skylake GPUs have a three-digit GPU designation, starting with a 5, from HD Graphics 510 up to and including Iris Pro 580. At least that’s what Cpu World claims.

At Skylake, Intel will use nine different type numbers with regard to GPUs, ten if the now-appeared Braswell is included. Intel introduced the first model numbers for GPUs with the arrival of Sandy Bridge in 2011, with the HD Graphics 2000 and 3000. The current Broadwell generation carries GPU names in the 5300 and 6300 series.

At Skylake, Intel steps away from that and comes up with 5xx names. For example, the company equips the economical ultrabook processors in the Skylake U series with HD Graphics 520, Iris 540, Iris 550 GPUs. The designation ‘HD Graphics’ without further designation remains reserved for the Braswell SOCs. At least that’s what CPU World claims.

Skylake should offer significant improvements in GPU performance, Intel has promised. Not only is the company improving the architecture, but Intel is also increasing the number of execution units or eus of the most powerful GPU from 48 to 72.

Intel uses a number of designations for its GPUs. The names based on the number of eus, and thus the graphical computing power, are GT1, GT2, GT3 and GT4e. The latter is new compared to previous processor generations and the ‘e’ indicates that the gpu with edram cache is combined. The current Broadwell generation has a GT3e with edram cache.

The only names Intel publishes publicly in commercials are “HD Graphics”, Iris and Iris Pro. Intel introduced the ‘Iris’ name to the Haswell generation in 2013 to indicate that these GPUs offer ‘high-end’ performance. The Pro version features edram.