The latest Intel desktop CPUs are built with a new architecture codenamed Cypress Cove. Early reports indicate that Rocket Lake CPUs max out at eight cores — fewer than the 10-core Intel CPUs currently available. Despite a reduction in the number of cores, Intel intends Rocket Lake to deliver on clock speed and performance in single-threaded applications, like video games.
Efficiency is the value proposition for these new chips. The new Cypress Code architecture is built on a refined 14 nm scale and combines elements of Ice Lake core and Tiger Lake architecture. Intel is anticipating a double-digit gain in IPC, instructions per clock.
Boosting IPC is a hot narrative in the x86 conversation. Earlier this month when AMD announced the new Ryzen 5000-series chips it credited the new Zen 3 architecture for similar IPC gains, and a subsequent performance boost across popular gaming titles.
What is IPC?
In terms of CPU performance, clock frequency measures how fast, or how often a CPU core performs calculations, or clocks. Instructions per clock (IPC) is a performance metric that counts how much useful work a processor gets done every time it clocks.
Think about what happens when every clock cycle processes more instructions — a lot more work — meaning users potentially experience performance gains. IPC numbers typically aren’t front and center on product specs like clock speeds are, and that’s because they do not always translate into an improved performance where you want it.
However, in the apparent case of new AMD Ryzen chips, IPC is shown to have real–world impact on frame rates in high-performance gaming systems. This is likely due to the fact that these chips have been engineered with gamers in mind.
A cooler running system is another valuable by-product of a more efficient CPU that gets greater IPC.
We are excited to see what Intel has in store for us, so stay tuned for more details as we get them about the new Cypress Cove architecture and Rocket Lake Intel CPUs. According to Intel’s Newsroom site the CPUs will launch in Q1 of 2021.
