Haswell (microarchitecture)

Haswell (microarchitecture)
Name	Haswell
Produced	From 2013
Designer	Intel
Predecessor	Ivy Bridge (microarchitecture)
Successor	Broadwell (microarchitecture)
Code name	Haswell
Arch	x86-64
Socket	LGA 1150, LGA 2011-3, BGA
Fab	22 nm

Haswell (microarchitecture). Haswell is a microarchitecture designed by Intel as the successor to the Ivy Bridge (microarchitecture) and was first released in 2013. It was manufactured on an enhanced version of Intel's 22 nm Tri-Gate process technology. The architecture introduced significant improvements in CPU performance, integrated graphics, and power efficiency, particularly for mobile platforms.

Overview

The Haswell microarchitecture represented a major design shift for Intel, focusing heavily on energy efficiency and SoC integration to better serve the growing ultrabook and 2-in-1 PC markets. It debuted in a variety of product lines, including the Core i7, Core i5, and Core i3 series for the desktop and mobile computing segments. Key launches included the initial Haswell-DT and Haswell-MB families, with later introductions of the enthusiast Haswell-E platform featuring the new LGA 2011-3 socket. The design emphasized performance-per-watt gains, which were critical for extending battery life in devices competing with ARM-based products like the Apple A7.

Features

Haswell introduced several new instruction set extensions, most notably AVX2 and FMA3, which significantly accelerated floating-point and integer SIMD operations for multimedia and scientific workloads. It also featured new TSX instructions for improving parallel software performance, though these were later disabled via microcode updates due to discovered errata. The architecture incorporated a fully integrated voltage regulator (FIVR), which moved critical power delivery onto the die itself. Other enhancements included support for DDR4 memory on the Haswell-E platform, improved branch predictor accuracy, and new low-power states like S0ix for always-connected mobile devices.

Processor cores

The Haswell core design built upon the Ivy Bridge (microarchitecture) foundation with wider execution ports, increased buffer sizes, and improved out-of-order execution capabilities. Core configurations ranged from dual-core designs for ultra-low voltage parts to quad-core and even six-core and eight-core variants for the Haswell-E high-end desktop platform. Each core featured enhanced Hyper-Threading technology and larger, smarter cache hierarchies, including a shared L3 cache. The core's micro-op cache was enlarged, reducing power consumption by decreasing decoder activity, a critical improvement for notebook and tablet computer applications.

Graphics

The integrated graphics processor, branded as Intel HD Graphics, saw a major generational leap with the Intel HD Graphics 5000, Iris Graphics 5100, and top-tier Iris Pro Graphics 5200. These GPUs introduced support for DirectX 11.1, OpenGL 4.3, and OpenCL 1.2, and featured a significantly increased number of execution units and dedicated embedded DRAM (eDRAM) on certain models, marketed as Crystal Well. This L4 cache dramatically improved graphics and GPU compute performance, allowing Haswell-based systems like the Apple MacBook Pro to handle more demanding tasks without a discrete graphics card.

Chipsets

The platform was supported by a new family of Intel chipsets, led by the Intel 8 Series for mainstream desktops and mobiles, including the Z87, H87, and mobile HM87 chipsets. These introduced native support for USB 3.0, more SATA ports, and improved PCI Express connectivity. The high-end Haswell-E platform utilized the separate Intel X99 chipset, which provided extensive multi-GPU support via PCI Express 3.0 and official DDR4 memory compatibility. These chipsets facilitated new features like Intel Rapid Storage Technology and Intel Smart Response Technology.

Successor

Haswell was succeeded by Broadwell (microarchitecture), which served as a "tick" in Intel's tick-tock model, shrinking the design to a 14 nm manufacturing process. While Broadwell offered improved power efficiency and slightly higher performance, its desktop presence was limited, with a greater focus on laptop and convertible designs. The architectural "tock" followed with Skylake (microarchitecture), which introduced a new socket design, support for DDR4 memory across the board, and further enhancements to the GPU and CPU cores, marking the next major evolution of the Core microarchitecture.

Category:Intel microarchitectures Category:2013 in computing