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7TH GENERATION INTEL CORE I3,

I5, AND I7 PROCESSORS
BY MICHAEL MOORES

THROUGH THE GENERATIONS

Generation Codename Generation number Release date

Nehalem 1 2008
Sandy Bridge 2 2011
Ivy Bridge 3 2012
Haswell 4 2013
Broadwell 5 2014
Skylake 6 2015
Kaby Lake 7 2016 & 2017

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NOMENCLATURE

Suffix Description
Desktop
K Unlocked
T Power-optimized lifestyle
Mobile
H High performance graphics
HK High performance graphics, unlocked
HQ High performance graphics, quad core
Y Extremely low power
U Ultra-low power

MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN 7TH GEN INTEL CORE

I3, I5, AND I7 PROCESSORS
DESKTOP Core i3 Core i5 Core i7

No. of cores 2 4 4
3.4-4.2GHz 2.4-3.8GHz 2.9-4.2GHz
Frequency range

Turbo Boost No Yes Yes

Hyper-Threading Yes No Yes

Cache 3-4MB 6MB 8MB

LAPTOP Core i3 Core i5 Core i7

No. of cores 2 2-4 2-4

Frequency range 1-3.5GHz 1.2-3.6GHz 1.3-3.5GHz

Turbo Boost Y-Series only Yes Yes

Hyper-Threading Yes Dual-core chips only Yes

Cache 3-4MB 3-6MB 4-8MB

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HYPER-THREADING

• Hyper-threading allows a processor core to function as two logical, or virtual,

processors. While some execution resources such as caches, execution units, and buses
are shared, each logical processor has its own architectural state with its own set of
general-purpose registers and control registers.
• Sharing resources means that one logical core can borrow resources from the other
one if it is stalled (i.e. waiting for memory to catch up).
• Intel claims up to a 30% performance improvement compared with an otherwise
identical, non-simultaneous multithreading processor.

TURBO BOOST

• a processor with the turbo boost feature can opportunistically and

automatically run faster than the base clock frequency if it is operating below
power, temperature, and current limits. This feature is designed to increase the
performance of both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.
• Frequency changes occur in increments/decrements of 100 MHz for Skylake
processors.

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INTEL PARADIGM
SHIFT
• Tick-Tock Model
• Tick = New process
• Tock = New architecture
• Process, Architecture, Optimization
Model
• Kaby Lake = Optimization
Phase

KABY LAKE

• Uses same architecture as the Skylake generation (6th generation) for the most
part with several small modifications.
• Has almost exactly the same CPI as the Skylake generation as a result.
• 14nm+ allows for faster clock speeds

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14NM+
“A number of key benefits for Kaby Lake will
be based on an optimized 14nm process,
called 14PLUS (or 14nm+, 14FF+). This
process as a quick summary has a higher fin
height and larger pitch, essentially giving a
less-dense set of transistors that have more
room to breathe. Normally a larger pitch
means more voltage required, but this is
offset by the fin height and Intel says is good
for another few hundred MHz for
performance. ”

KABY LAKE VS SKYLAKE

(MAIN ARCHITECTURE DIFFERENCES)
• Increased clock speeds
• Up to 300MHz faster
• An i7 7700K processor paired with the appropriate motherboard and liquid cooling and pushed to the limit
can surpass 5GHz

• Faster clock speed changes

• Improved graphics core
• Improved VP9/HEVC encoding/decoding
• A.K.A. PCs can now stream Netflix in 4K

• 200 series chip set (Union Point)

• Support for Intel Optane Technology

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OPTANE (A.K.A. 3D XPOINT)

• Details of the materials and physics of operation

were not disclosed. Bit storage is based on a
change of bulk resistance, in conjunction with a
stackable cross-gridded data access array.
• Compared to NAND memory Intel claims 10x lower
latency, 3x write endurance, 4x writes per second
performance improvement, 3x reads per second,
and 30% power usage.
• "not based on electrons".
• Individual data cells do not need a transistor, so
packing density will be 4 times greater than DRAM.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
• http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/product-briefs/7th-gen-core-family-desktop-brief.pdf

• http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/7th-gen-core-family-desktop-s-processor-lines-datasheet-vol-1.pdf

• http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/processors/core.html

• http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/processors/processor-numbers.html

• http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/best-intel-processor-core-i3-i5-i7

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaby_Lake

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-threading

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3D_XPoint

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Turbo_Boost

• https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/01/intel-core-i7-7700k-kaby-lake-review/

• https://arstechnica.co.uk/gadgets/2016/08/intel-kaby-lake-7th-gen-details-release-date/

• https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/03/intel-retires-tick-tock-development-model-extending-the-life-of-each-process/

• http://www.anandtech.com/show/10610/intel-announces-7th-gen-kaby-lake-14nm-plus-six-notebook-skus-desktop-coming-in-january

• http://www.anandtech.com/show/8367/intels-14nm-technology-in-detail

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core#Core_Duo

• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Yogesh_Chauhan8/publication/273645692/figure/fig9/AS:306647508504578@1450121871057/The-FinFET-is-a-3D-structure-and-it-benefits-from-a-larger-electrical-area-than-physical.png