Intel Skylake Processors: Up to 20% Performance Boost, 41% Faster Graphics and 30% Longer Battery Life

[MacRumors]

Less than two weeks before Intel announces new desktop Skylake processors, likely to be used in future Macs, at the Gamescom trade show in Germany on August 5, FanlessTech has leaked an Intel slide deck that offers a closer look at some of the performance enhancements the next-generation processors will deliver for both desktop computers and notebooks.

The leaked slides reveal that Skylake processors will provide a 10%-20% CPU performance boost in single and multi-threaded applications, with lower power consumption, and 30% faster Intel HD integrated graphics performance on average compared to current-generation Broadwell processors. The improved energy efficiency will also result in up to 30% longer battery life.

The specific performance improvements to the four main Skylake families are outlined below based on preliminary data, with the MacBook model appropriate for each chip listed in parentheses:

- Y-Series (MacBook): Up to 17% faster CPU, up to 41% faster Intel HD graphics, up to 1.4 hours longer battery life
- U-Series (MacBook Air): Up to 10% faster CPU, up to 34% faster Intel HD graphics, up to 1.4 hours longer battery life
- H-Series (MacBook Pro): Up to 11% faster CPU, up to 16% faster Intel HD graphics, up to 80% lower silicon power
- S-Series (iMac): Up to 11% faster CPU, up to 28% faster Intel HD graphics, 22% lower TDP (thermal design power)

Apple refreshed the MacBook Air and 13" Retina MacBook Pro with the latest Broadwell processors in March, but the refreshed 15" Retina MacBook Pro released in May remains powered by two-year-old Haswell architecture due to the lack of quad-core Broadwell processors appropriate for the notebook at the time.

Given that Intel announced a trio of Core i7 processors appropriate for the 15" Retina MacBook Pro just weeks later, and both the iMac and Mac mini still have Haswell processors, it is plausible that Apple has chosen to skip Broadwell processors entirely and release Skylake-based Macs in late 2015 or early 2016 -- and the jump from Haswell to Skylake would deliver an even higher performance boost.

Taiwanese blog DigiTimes, which has a hit-and-miss track record at reporting on Apple's upcoming product plans, says that Intel is planning to launch 18 new Skylake processors for notebooks in the fourth quarter, starting in October. The mid-range and high-end processors could be used in the next-generation 12-inch MacBook, MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro.

Article Link: Intel Skylake Processors: Up to 20% Performance Boost, 41% Faster Graphics and 30% Longer Battery Life

 

[AdamSeen]

Skylake, the processor we've all been waiting for.

 

[opeter]

Skylake Mac mini .... mmmm ...

 

[nepalisherpa]

Broadwel?

*EDIT* Nevermind, I see that the last letter is shifted down. Jeez, at least make the presentation look good.

I was going to upgrade my Air 11 but looks like I will give it another year.

 

[BreuerEditor]

I can't wait to upgrade my 2010 MBP to a late 2015 rMBP with Skylake. BRING IT!!!!

 

[polee]

I just bought my Macbook 2015. However if this is incorporated into the Macbook Air 11, I may consider getting that next year. Or even the MBP 15.

 

[bladerunner2000]

The lower TDP will allow for some nice overclocking...

OH WAIT A MINUTE, despite Apple selling iMacs with overclockable CPUs, they don't offer any control to actually overclock. lulz.

 

[kazmac]

Skylake Mac mini .... mmmm ...

Yes, please.

 

[gloryholehustler]

Sounds great and I'm really looking forward to getting a new, hopefully redesigned and hopefully space grey, MacBook Pro soon. I wish they would update the line before the BTS promo ended (not likely to happen) - it would be awesome to get a redesigned SkyLake Macbook Pro in space grey to go with my space grey iPhone 6 and space grey bluetooth Beats Solos but of course the update will happen long after the promo ends

 

[AdamSeen]

I hope we find out soon what is happening with their Xeon lineup, if they are skipping broadwell or not. I would like to see a new mac pro on the horizon.

 

[dagamer34]

Also, supposedly dual-core Skylake CPUs will have 64MB eDRAM which will help quite a bit with gaming performance.

 

[FrankySavvy]

I can't wait to upgrade my 2010 MBP to a late 2015 rMBP with Skylake. BRING IT!!!!

Me too! Except my 2010 15" MBP keeps having kernel panics! is yours?

 

[JeffyTheQuik]

*sniff*
I guess, gone are the days of 100%+ improvements.

 

[needfx]

surprise surprise!!

 

[alexgowers]

If only I had the spare cash to chop in my MBP 13 inch retina 2013 with a gold 2015 version. I'm sure i would only loose out on £400 or so in upgrading but it's just the wrong time to be cash strapped right now. This is a great upgrade if it comes in the next MBP

*sniff*
I guess, gone are the days of 100%+ improvements.

Those performance boosts in the past came at increased power usage! I'm sorry but I think it's better now to have less of a race for GHz and more of an efficiency boost like this.

 

[Prof.]

Well, ****...

 

[nooaah]

Just bought my 2015 rMBP. Nerts.

 

[nerdAFK]

Not sure if this is enough for the Next-Gen MacBook Pro.
Really looking forward to a even more radical redesign.

 

[Mick-Mac]

I couldn't take my aging MacBook Pro anymore and ended up buying a new MacBook Pros when they were released a couple months ago. Given that I'm sure Apple would have had Skylake samples quite a while beforehand, would it have killed them to delay the new MacBook Pros just a little bit and go for Skylake instead? I'm now stuck with this miserable, already past it's effective end of life Haswell piece of junk for a few years before I'll be upgrading again...

 

[Joe Rossignol]

Sounds great and I'm really looking forward to getting a new, hopefully redesigned and hopefully space grey, MacBook Pro soon. I wish they would update the line before the BTS promo ended (not likely to happen) - it would be awesome to get a redesigned SkyLake Macbook Pro in space grey to go with my space grey iPhone 6 and space grey bluetooth Beats Solos but of course the update will happen long after the promo ends

Doesn't look like Skylake processors for notebooks will be available until October at the earliest so unfortunately Apple can't release them in time for the Back to School promo even if they wanted to.

I wouldn't expect new Macs until late 2015 or early 2016.

 

[Sonmi451]

Not sure if this is enough for the Next-Gen MacBook Pro.
Really looking forward to a even more radical redesign.

It's a laptop. What kind of radical design can possibly exist?

 

[Edgar Spayce]

Macbook Pro seems to be the smallest winner here.

And as always, Intel HD are ridiculously underpowered.

 

[Even Longer]

Use them in an iPad Pro and I'm sold.

 

[Saucesome2000]

Is this impressive? This looks impressive.

 

[Chaszmyr]

Skylake, the processor we've all been waiting for.

I wouldn't go that far. There's really nothing special about Skylake, it's just the next iteration of ever-improving processors.