Tick–tock was a production model adopted in 2007 by chip manufacturer Intel. Under this model, every microarchitecture change (tock) was followed by a die shrink of the process technology (tick). It was replaced by the process–architecture–optimization model, which was announced in 2016 and is like a tick–tock cycle followed by an optimization phase. As a general engineering model, tick–tock is a model that refreshes one side of a binary system each release cycle.
Every "tick" represented a shrinking of the process technology of the previous microarchitecture (sometimes introducing new instructions, as with Broadwell, released in late 2014) and every "tock" designated a new microarchitecture. [1] These occurred roughly every year to 18 months. [2] In 2014, Intel created a " tock refresh" of a tock in the form of a smaller update to the microarchitecture [3] not considered a new generation in and of itself.
In March 2016, Intel announced in a Form 10-K report that it deprecated the tick–tock cycle in favor of a three-step process–architecture–optimization model, under which three generations of processors are produced under a single manufacturing process, with the third generation out of three focusing on optimization. [4] The first optimization of the Skylake architecture was Kaby Lake. Intel then announced a second optimization, Coffee Lake, [5] making a total of four generations at 14 nm. [6]
Change (step) |
Fabrication process |
Micro- architecture |
Code names for step |
Intel Generation Desktop |
Intel Generation Xeon |
Intel Microcode shortcut(s) Desktop/WS [7] [8] |
Intel Microcode shortcut(s) Xeon/Server |
Release date |
Processors | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8P/4P Server | 4P/2P Server/ WS | Embedded Xeon | 1P Xeon | Enthusiast/ WS | Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||
Tick ( new fabrica- tion process) |
65 nm | P6, NetBurst |
Yonah (P6), Presler (NetBurst), Cedar Mill (NetBurst) |
— | 1995-11-1 (P6), 2000-11-20 (NetBurst) |
— | — | — | Presler (NetBurst) | Cedar Mill (NetBurst) | Yonah (P6) | ||||
Tock ( new micro- architecture) |
Core | Merom [9] | 2006-07-27 [10] [11] | Tigerton |
Woodcrest Clovertown |
Kentsfield | Conroe | Merom | |||||||
Tick | 45 nm | Penryn | 2007-11-11 [12] | Dunnington | Harpertown | Yorkfield | Wolfdale | Penryn | |||||||
Tock | Nehalem | Nehalem | 1 | — | NHM [13] | — | 2008-11-17 [14] | Beckton | Gainestown | Lynnfield | Bloomfield | Lynnfield | Clarksfield | ||
Tick | 32 nm | Westmere | 1 | WSM [13] | 2010-01-04 [15] [16] | Westmere-EX | Westmere-EP | — | Gulftown | Clarkdale | Arrandale | ||||
Tock | Sandy Bridge | Sandy Bridge | 2 | 1 | SNB | JKT (Jaketown) | 2011-01-09 [17] | (Skipped) [18] | Sandy Bridge-EP | Gladden | Sandy Bridge | Sandy Bridge-E | Sandy Bridge | Sandy Bridge-M | |
Tick | 22 nm [19] | Ivy Bridge | 3 | 2 | IVB | IVT (Ivytown) | 2012-04-29 | Ivy Bridge-EX [20] | Ivy Bridge-EP [20] | Gladden | Ivy Bridge | Ivy Bridge-E [21] | Ivy Bridge | Ivy Bridge-M | |
Tock | Haswell | Haswell | 4 | 3 | HSW, CRW (Crystal Well) with Iris Pro [22] [23] |
HSX | 2013-06-02 | Haswell-EX | Haswell-EP | — | Haswell-DT | Haswell-E | Haswell-DT [24] | Haswell-MB (notebooks) Haswell-LP (ultrabooks) [24] | |
Refresh |
Haswell Refresh, Devil's Canyon [25] |
4 | — | HSW, CRW (Crystal Well) with Iris Pro [22] [23] |
— | 2014-05-11, 2014-06-02 |
No server version released | Devil's Canyon | No mobile version released | ||||||
Tick (Process) | 14 nm [19] | Broadwell [26] | 5 | 4 | BDW | BDX | 2014-09-05 | Broadwell-EX [27] | Broadwell-EP [27] | Broadwell-DE | Broadwell-DT | Broadwell-E | Broadwell-DT | Broadwell-H Broadwell-U Broadwell-Y | |
Tock (Architecture) | Skylake [26] | Skylake [26] | 6 | 5 | SKL | SKX | 2015-08-05 [28] | Skylake-SP | Skylake-DE | Skylake-DT/H | Skylake-X | Skylake | Skylake-H Skylake-U Skylake-Y | ||
Optimization (Refresh) [4] [29] [30] [31] |
Kaby Lake [32] | 7 | 6 | KBL | — | 2017-01-03 [33] | Only 1P server (Xeon E3) version released |
Kaby Lake-DT/H cores: 4 (4/8) |
Kaby Lake-X [34] | Kaby Lake | Kaby Lake-H Kaby Lake-U Kaby Lake-Y | ||||
Kaby Lake R [35] [36] | 8 | — | KBL-R | 2017-08-21 [36] | Only mobile version released | Kaby Lake R | |||||||||
Coffee Lake | 8, 9 [37] | E-2xxx | CFL | 2017-10-05 [38] |
Cascade Lake-SP Cooper Lake (Q2'20) |
Cascade Lake-AP |
Coffee Lake-DT/H cores: 6 (12) |
Skylake-X Refresh |
Coffee Lake-S Coffee Lake-R |
Coffee Lake-H Coffee Lake-U Coffee Lake-H Refresh | |||||
Whiskey Lake, Amber Lake [39] |
8 | — | WHL AML |
2018-08-28 [39] | Only mobile version released | Whiskey Lake-U Amber Lake-Y | |||||||||
Comet Lake [40] | 10 | CML | 2019-08-21 [40] | No server version released | Comet Lake-W | Comet Lake-S |
Comet Lake-H Comet Lake-U | ||||||||
Architecture | Cypress Cove [41] | Rocket Lake [41] | 11 | RKL | 2021-03-30 [42] | — | Rocket Lake-S | — | |||||||
Process | 10 nm | Palm Cove | Cannon Lake | 8 | CNL | 2018-05-16 [43] | Only mobile version released | Cannon Lake-U | |||||||
Architecture | Sunny Cove | Ice Lake [44] | 10 | 3 | ICL | 2019-08-01 [45] | Ice Lake-SP (1H21) [46] | — | Ice Lake-U Ice Lake-Y | ||||||
Optimization [31] | Willow Cove | Tiger Lake [31] | 11 | — | TGL | 2020-09-02 [47] | Only mobile version released | Tiger Lake-H35 Tiger Lake-UP3 Tiger Lake-UP4 | |||||||
Architecture | Intel 7 | Golden Cove | Alder Lake | 12 | ADL | 2021-11-04 | No server / WS version released | Alder Lake-S | Alder Lake-HX Alder Lake-H Alder Lake-P Alder Lake-U | ||||||
Sapphire Rapids [48] | — | 4 | — | SPR | 2023-01-10 | Sapphire Rapids-SP | TBA | Only server / WS version released | |||||||
Optimization | Raptor Cove | Raptor Lake | 13 | — | RPL | — | 2022-10-20 | No server / WS version released | Raptor Lake-S | Raptor Lake-HX Raptor Lake-H Raptor Lake-P Raptor Lake-U | |||||
Emerald Rapids | — | 5 | — | EMR | 2023 | Emerald Rapids-SP | TBA | Only server / WS version released | |||||||
Tick | Intel 4 [49] | Redwood Cove | Meteor Lake [50] | 14 | — | MTL | — | 2023-12-14 | No server / WS version released | TBA | |||||
Tick | Intel 3 | Granite Rapids [51] | — | 6 | — | GNR | 2024 | Granite Rapids-SP | TBA | Only server / WS version released | |||||
Tick | Intel 20A | Lion Cove | Arrow Lake [52] | 15 | — | ARL | — | 2024 | No server / WS version released | TBA | |||||
Tick | Intel 18A | TBA | Lunar Lake | 16 | — | LNL | — | 2025 | No server / WS version released | TBA | |||||
Change (step) |
Fabrication process |
Micro- architecture |
Code names for step |
Intel Generation Desktop |
Intel Generation Xeon |
Intel Microcode shortcut(s) Desktop/WS [7] [8] |
Intel Microcode shortcut(s) Xeon/Server |
Release date |
8P/4P Server | 4P/2P Server/ WS | Embedded Xeon | 1P Xeon | Enthusiast/ WS | Desktop | Mobile |
Processors |
With Silvermont Intel tried to start Tick-Tock in Atom architecture but problems with the 10 nm process did not allow to do this. In the table below instead of Tick-Tock steps Process-Architecture-Optimization are used. There is no official confirmation that Intel uses Process-Architecture-Optimization for Atom but it allows us to understand what changes happened in each generation.
Change |
Fabrication process |
Micro- architecture (Abbr.) [13] |
Code names for step |
Release date |
Processors/SoCs | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MID, Smartphone | Tablet | Netbook | Nettop | Embedded | Server | CE | |||||
Process / Architecture | 45 nm | Bonnell (BNL) | Bonnell | 2008 | Silverthorne | — | Diamondville | — | — | — | |
Optimization | Bonnell | 2010 | Lincroft | Pineview |
Tunnel Creek Stellarton |
— |
Sodaville Groveland | ||||
Process | 32 nm | Saltwell | 2011 | Medfield ( Penwell & Lexington) & Clover Trail+ (Cloverview) | Clover Trail ( Cloverview) | Cedar Trail ( Cedarview) | — | Centerton & Briarwood | Berryville | ||
Process / Architecture | 22 nm | Silvermont (SLM) | Silvermont | 2013 | Merrifield (Tangier) [54] & Moorefield (Anniedale) [55] & Slayton | Bay Trail-T (Valleyview) |
Bay Trail-M (Valleyview) |
Bay Trail-D (Valleyview) |
Bay Trail-I (Valleyview) |
Avoton Rangeley |
Unknown |
Process | 14 nm [53] | Airmont | 2014 | Binghamton & Riverton | Cherry Trail-T (Cherryview) [56] | Braswell [57] | Denverton Cancelled |
Unknown | |||
Architecture |
Goldmont
[58] (GLM) |
Goldmont | 2016 | Broxton Cancelled | Broxton Cancelled Apollo Lake |
Apollo Lake | Apollo Lake | Unknown | Denverton | Unknown | |
Architecture |
Goldmont Plus (GLM+, GLP) |
Goldmont Plus | 2017 | Unknown | Gemini Lake | Gemini Lake | Gemini Lake | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | |
Optimization | Goldmont Plus | 2019 | Unknown | Gemini Lake Refresh | Gemini Lake Refresh | Gemini Lake Refresh | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | ||
Process / Architecture | 10 nm | Tremont | Tremont | 2020 | Unknown | Jasper Lake | Jasper Lake | Jasper Lake | Elkhart Lake | Snow Ridge | Unknown |
Architecture | Intel 7 | Gracemont | Gracemont | 2021 | Unknown | Unknown | Alder Lake & Raptor Lake (hybrid) | Unknown | Unknown | ||
Process / Architecture | Intel 4 | Crestmont | Crestmont | 2023 | Unknown | Unknown | Meteor Lake [59] (hybrid) | Sierra Forest-AP | Unknown |
Note: There is further the Xeon Phi. It has up to now undergone four development steps with a current top model that got the code name Knights Landing (shortcut: KNL; [13] the predecessor code names all had the leading term Knights in their name) that is derived from the Silvermont architecture as used for the Intel Atom series but realized in a shrunk 14 nm (FinFET) technology. [60] In 2018, Intel announced that Knights Landing and all further Xeon Phi CPU models were discontinued. [61] However, Intel's Sierra Forest and subsequent Atom-based Xeon CPUs are likely a spiritual successor to Xeon Phi.
A yearly product cadence moves the industry forward in a predictable fashion that can be planned in advance.
The Kaby Lake platform will be similar to Skylake platform that launches this year and will act as a platform refresher
We have long known that Intel was planning a 'Skylake Refresh' that has always been on the roadmap between Skylake and Cannonlake, but it appears that refresh might be going by the code name Kaby lake now.
the switch to 10nm manufacturing has been delayed until the second half of 2017.
Today marks the official launch date of the desktop S-series 7th Generation Core processors...
Intel Core i5-8250U, i5-8350U, i7-8550U, and i7-8650U Kaby Lake-R launches today (Source: Intel)