explain what cpu refresh is?

[kknd2]

as the title says. can someone explain what is a cpu refresh (like the *recent* intel haswell cpu refresh). Does it mean that before the refresh, intel has long stopped manufactoring haswell cpu (and the cpus that u still can buy are just left over stock) and that intel has decided to manufactor some more haswell cpu (thus the word refresh)? or does it mean something else ?_?

thx!

 

[RFM1997]

When Intel releases a refresh, it's normally Haswell (for example) CPU's, but with better thermal management, lower power consumption, slightly faster.

Intel probably stops producing the older chips, to produce the refreshed chips, to include the latest developments.

Hope this clears your doubts.

 

[mbreslin1954]

Intel has a "tick-tock" strategy. One year they will come with a new architectures, such as from Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge, or from Ivy Bridge to Haswell. They keep the manufacturing process the same, such as 22 nm, while they change the architecture of the chip. They don't want the trouble of dealing with both process (22 nm) and architecture at the same time.

The next year they will keep the architecture the same and just shrink the die (process change). That, I think, is what's meant by a "refresh". The same architecture but shrinking the die (lower power). I think. Someone who knows more can correct me.

 

[kknd2]

When Intel releases a refresh, it's normally Haswell (for example) CPU's, but with better thermal management, lower power consumption, slightly faster.

Intel probably stops producing the older chips, to produce the refreshed chips, to include the latest developments.

Hope this clears your doubts.

so a refresh is really a update patch. when intel first launched thei haswell cpu, it was haswel v1.0 (lulz)
and a refresh is haswell v2.0
the actual chip itself is changed (in the architecture department?) and when u say thermal do u mean the pre-applied thermal paste they give u is higher quality? ?

 

[RFM1997]

Yes, that's pretty much it. There are some changes in the manufacturing process, and no, it's not the pre-applied thermal paste