Intel Unleashes Ivy Bridge Architecture

Intel is today officially launching its latest processor design, known as Ivy Bridge, which features much-hyped 22 nanometre 3D transistors.

It marks a “tick” moment for Intel, or a “tick+” as the company is also calling it, as it hasd shrunk the size of the transistors down from 32nm in the Sandy Bridge architecture.

To the 3rd dimension

The Ivy Bridge processor family features three different names, sticking with the i3, i5 and i7 of Sandy Bridge. Last week, Intel reported a profit decline of 18 percent, partly caused by delays to the Ivy Bridge rollout.

The new architecture comes with the world’s first 3D transistors, called Tri-Gate, which were announced last year. Intel promised the technology would bring improved performance and energy efficiency, compared to traditional 2D transistors that power most digital devices today.

As for how it works, the 3D transistor features a  three-dimensional silicon fin sticking up from the silicon substrate. A gate on each of the three sides of the fin control current, rather than just one on top as with 2D planar transistors. This means the 3D version has much more control over how much power a processor is using up.

As the fins are pointing upwards, it is also possible to squeeze more of them onto the silicon, thereby increasing efficiency and slimming down the size of the processor. This means the gates can switch on and off more than 100 billion times every second, according to Intel.

Current leakage should also be reduced to near zero, the vendor believes, whilst the reduced power consumption of Ivy Bridge will also please any enthusiasts wanting to overclock the processor.

Intel has actually been working on 3D transistors since 2002. It claimed it could fit 100 million of its 22nm transistors on the head of a pin.

Intel is hoping its new architecture will help it gain more partners in the mobile space, an industry where it has been lagging behind British designer ARM, amongst others. Last week, the first smartphone based on Intel’s  Atom ‘Medfield’ platform was launched in India.

Graphics boost

Intel has also worked hard to push its graphics capabilities with a fresh engine. The chip making giant said its Ivy Bridge architecture would have up to 2X the media and graphics performance of Sandy Bridge.

With the company’s HD Graphics 4000 processor, Ivy Bridge supports DirectX 11.0 and HiDPI graphics. There is also support for Intel Quick Sync Video, designed to help speed up media processes, such as converting video files or burning DVDs. Intel has also worked with the Handbrake freeware, a video transcoder application, which the company claimed would add greater functionality for those running powerful media apps.

Some users will complain Intel’s GPU power is not enough for high-end usage without an added graphics card, something the company recognises. “This is a significant improvement over Sandy Bridge,” said Intel desktop product manager Scott Pendrey. “We are very much equivalent to entry level [graphics cards] and pushing up into mid-level… but I wouldn’t dare say this is for everybody.”

Intel would love to see its partners hook up their Ivy Bridge chips to its 7 Series Chipsets which were announced earlier this month. The Panther Point chipsets come with support for various ports, including USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt, which would help users send data at ultrafast speeds.

The company believes the design will help boost Ultrabooks, something the company believes is going to be a massively popular form factor, but Intel also wants to see the chips in all kinds of machines, including clamshells, convertibles and tablets.

When Windows 8 tablets start to emerge in late 2012 and onwards, Intel will be hoping partners like Dell opt for its processors, over the likes of ARM.

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