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Intel details next-gen 'Iris' graphics chips

Intel has released details on Iris, its next-generation graphics chips for laptops and desktops.

Brooke Crothers Former CNET contributor
Brooke Crothers writes about mobile computer systems, including laptops, tablets, smartphones: how they define the computing experience and the hardware that makes them tick. He has served as an editor at large at CNET News and a contributing reporter to The New York Times' Bits and Technology sections. His interest in things small began when living in Tokyo in a very small apartment for a very long time.
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Brooke Crothers

Intel has released details on its next-generation graphics chips that will appear in upcoming laptops, hybrids and desktops.

(Credit: Intel)

Iris graphics will be integrated into the 4th Gen Intel Core, aka Haswell processors, the chip giant announced on Wednesday.

"Iris graphics brings [an] eye-popping visual experience — no extra graphics card required," Intel said in a statement.

There will be a 2x (two-fold) 3D performance increase over the 3rd Gen Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" chips for both the U- and Mobile H-series processors designed for ultrabooks and higher-performance laptops, respectively, Intel said.

For desktop R series processors, there will be a 3x improvement over Ivy Bridge.

Intel specified that the Mobile H-series and R series Iris graphics include high-speed eDRAM, or embedded DRAM, memory.

Iris also provides faster video and photo editing via Quick Sync Video technology and MJPEG acceleration. The new graphics silicon also boasts support for 4K Ultra HD display resolution and collage mode display, as well as support for OpenCL and DirectX 11.1 application programming interfaces (APIs), Intel said.

The chipmaker is expected to roll out Haswell in June at Computex, with new systems expected in that timeframe.

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