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Updates on Intel's Haswell

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Intel releases details on the graphics capabilities tucked inside the 4th Core CPU generation (aka "Haswell")-- now with three graphics tiers named Intel HD 5000, Iris and Iris Pro.

Haswell graphicsThe previous Core chip generation ships with two flavours of graphics, Intel HD 4000 and HD 3000.

With Haswell, Ultrabooks carrying 15W U-series CPUs get the updated HD 5000 graphics. Laptops using 28W U-series chips get Iris, which Intel claims is up to x2 faster than HD Graphics.

The more powerful H- and R-series laptop chips (47-55W) pack Iris Pro graphics with embedded DRAM.  M- and K-series laptop CPUs also get the Iris Pro option.

Intel HD 5000, Iris and Iris Pro leverage on Direct X 11.1, OpenGL 4 and OpenCL 1.2 technologies, with "enhanced" 4K output and a 3-screen collage mode.

The Haswell-related news coincides with a fresh rumour-- the latest generation of Intel CPUs may demand a replacement in PSUs. According to VR-Zone and The Tech Report the Haswell C6/C7 low-power states demand a minimum current 0.05Amps load via 12V2 rail (0.6W), a load older PSus might be unable to handle.

Making matters worse for system makers and customers is PSU makers failing to report on their offerings' minimum currents, making it difficult to determine whether a PSU is Haswell compatible or not. Then again, motherboard vendors can (and probably will) simply disable C6/C7 states via BIOS.

Either way, expect more news from Intel following the Computex show come June 2013.

Go Intel

Go Is Your Power Supply Ready for Haswell? (VR-Zone)

Go Few PSUs Support Haswell C6/C7 Low-Power States (The Tech Report)