Intel Launches quad-core Broadwell Processors & Iris Pro 6200 GPU

Intel has released the long delayed quad-core Broadwell processors alongside Iris Pro 6200 GPUs. The higher performance chips were announced at Computex 2015 in Taipei.

Overall, nine new quad-core chips and one new dual-core chip have been announced with five being for laptops and five for desktops. Aside from higher processing power, the new batch of fifth generation Broadwell chips will come with Iris Pro 6200 graphics which is poised to be a significant upgrade.

Intel Iris 6200 Pro promises 35% better media performance and twice as better graphics performance

The new graphics chips promise about 35% better media performance and twice as better graphics performance compared to its predecessors. The chips come with 128MB of eDRAM cache as part of the processor package. This is helpful in increasing memory bandwidth for GPUs and can also work as L4 cache for the CPUs. The chips being integrated into the CPU free it from the constraints of DDR3 TAM and makes it come close to the mid-range AMD and Nvidia graphics cards.

Out of the 10 chips announced, 9 are quad-core and one is a dual core variant.

In the quad-core chips, four are mobile chips with HQ moniker, three are for small PCs with an R moniker and will come soldered to motherboard while C series are for desktops and come unlocked for overclocking.

Laptops will use chips with the HQ moniker and will provide double the performance compared to the predecessors. This is definitely something consumers will keep their eyes on. Heavy gaming on medium settings or professional multimedia consumption could become a much more pleasant task.

Skylake processor will NOT be compatible with existing hardware due to a new architecture so if you are building a new system, it might be better to wait than purchase Broadwell with Iris Pro

Something to keep in mind though is that the Skylake chips with a new architecture are also supposed to be released some time in Q3 this year. The delay in release of the Broadwell chips makes them top of the line only until Intel releases the newer processors which will support DDR4 RAM and bring a host of other improvements.

The new processors will go on sale with a starting price of $266 and top out at $366 for the desktops. Mobile chips however will cost up to $623. The new series of processors will go on sale within the next two months.