The central processing unit (CPU) is the brain of your computer, responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations. Choosing the right CPU can significantly impact your overall computing experience. Intel, a leading CPU manufacturer, has released numerous generations of processors, each with its own set of features and capabilities. Two notable generations are Broadwell and Skylake. This article provides an in-depth comparison of Broadwell and Skylake, helping you understand their differences and determine which is a better fit for your needs.
Architectural Overview: Broadwell And Skylake
Broadwell and Skylake represent distinct advancements in Intel’s CPU architecture. Understanding their core designs is crucial for appreciating their performance characteristics.
Broadwell: A 14nm Transition
Broadwell, launched in 2014, was Intel’s first mainstream CPU family built on a 14-nanometer (nm) manufacturing process. This shrink from the previous 22nm process allowed for increased transistor density, resulting in improved power efficiency and smaller die sizes. Broadwell’s architecture focused on optimizing existing Haswell features rather than introducing groundbreaking innovations. The primary goal was to enhance integrated graphics performance and reduce power consumption, primarily targeting laptops and mobile devices.
Skylake: A Platform Refresh
Skylake, released in 2015, followed Broadwell and introduced a new microarchitecture, also built on the 14nm process. Skylake represented a more significant platform refresh, featuring a new socket (LGA 1151) and chipset series (100-series). This allowed for support of newer technologies such as DDR4 memory and enhanced PCI Express capabilities. Skylake aimed to improve overall performance, enhance integrated graphics, and provide a more versatile platform for both desktop and mobile applications.
Performance Comparison: Benchmarks And Real-World Usage
When comparing CPUs, benchmark results and real-world performance observations are essential. Let’s explore how Broadwell and Skylake stack up in various scenarios.
CPU Performance: Clock Speeds And IPC
Skylake generally offers a noticeable performance advantage over Broadwell in CPU-intensive tasks. Skylake processors typically feature higher clock speeds and slightly improved Instructions Per Cycle (IPC) compared to their Broadwell counterparts. IPC refers to the number of instructions a processor can execute per clock cycle, and a higher IPC indicates greater efficiency. This translates to faster processing speeds in applications like video editing, code compilation, and gaming.
Integrated Graphics: A Boost For Skylake
Both Broadwell and Skylake feature improved integrated graphics compared to previous generations. However, Skylake generally offers superior graphics performance. Skylake’s integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 500 series) provides a more substantial boost compared to Broadwell’s (Intel Iris Graphics 6000 series). This makes Skylake a better choice for users who rely on integrated graphics for light gaming, video playback, and everyday tasks. Broadwell offered Iris Pro options with embedded DRAM (eDRAM) which could sometimes close the gap, but generally Skylake was superior in integrated graphics performance.
Gaming Performance: Discrete GPUs Dominate
For serious gaming, a dedicated graphics card (GPU) is essential. In gaming scenarios with a discrete GPU, the CPU’s role is primarily to feed data to the GPU. Skylake’s higher clock speeds and improved IPC can result in slightly better gaming performance compared to Broadwell. However, the difference is often minimal, especially at higher resolutions and graphics settings where the GPU is the primary bottleneck.
Power Efficiency: Broadwell’s Advantage
Broadwell was specifically designed with power efficiency in mind. The 14nm process and optimized architecture resulted in lower power consumption compared to Haswell, its predecessor. Broadwell generally consumes less power than Skylake, making it a suitable option for laptops and other mobile devices where battery life is crucial. While Skylake also offers good power efficiency, Broadwell typically has a slight edge in this area.
Feature Set And Platform Differences
Beyond raw performance, Broadwell and Skylake differ in their feature sets and platform compatibility. These differences can influence your decision based on your specific requirements.
Socket Compatibility: A Key Distinction
A major difference between Broadwell and Skylake is their socket compatibility. Broadwell processors typically use the LGA 1150 socket, while Skylake processors require the newer LGA 1151 socket. This means that a motherboard designed for Broadwell is not compatible with Skylake processors, and vice versa. This difference is crucial when building or upgrading a computer, as it necessitates choosing a motherboard that supports the specific CPU generation.
Memory Support: DDR4 Arrives With Skylake
Skylake introduced support for DDR4 memory, a newer and faster memory standard compared to DDR3, which was predominantly used with Broadwell. DDR4 offers higher bandwidth and lower voltage, resulting in improved performance and power efficiency. While some Broadwell motherboards supported DDR3L (low-voltage DDR3), Skylake’s DDR4 support provides a clear advantage in terms of memory performance.
Chipset Features: Enhanced Connectivity
Skylake’s 100-series chipsets offer enhanced connectivity options compared to the chipsets used with Broadwell. Skylake chipsets typically include more PCI Express lanes, allowing for better support for multiple GPUs, NVMe SSDs, and other high-bandwidth devices. They also often feature newer USB standards (e.g., USB 3.1) and improved storage interfaces (e.g., SATA Express).
Overclocking: Skylake’s Potential
Overclocking, the practice of running a CPU at a higher clock speed than its rated specification, can boost performance. Skylake processors, particularly the “K” series models, generally offer better overclocking potential compared to Broadwell. This is due to improvements in the CPU architecture and power delivery. However, overclocking requires a compatible motherboard, a good CPU cooler, and careful configuration.
Use Cases: Tailoring The Choice To Your Needs
The best choice between Broadwell and Skylake depends largely on your intended use case. Consider the following scenarios:
Laptops And Mobile Devices: Broadwell’s Efficiency
For laptops and other mobile devices where battery life is a priority, Broadwell can be a suitable option. Its lower power consumption helps extend battery life, making it ideal for users who need a portable and energy-efficient device. However, Skylake also offers good power efficiency, and the performance benefits may outweigh the slightly higher power consumption for some users.
Desktop PCs: Skylake’s Versatility
For desktop PCs, Skylake is generally the better choice. Its improved performance, DDR4 support, and enhanced chipset features provide a more versatile and future-proof platform. Skylake is well-suited for a wide range of tasks, including gaming, content creation, and general productivity.
Budget Constraints: Weighing The Options
If budget is a primary concern, consider the overall cost of the system, including the CPU, motherboard, and memory. While Skylake offers performance advantages, Broadwell-based systems may be more affordable, especially if you can find deals on older components. Evaluate the price difference and determine if the performance gains of Skylake justify the additional cost.
Specific Applications: Focusing On Relevant Benchmarks
For specific applications, research benchmarks and reviews that focus on those particular workloads. Some applications may benefit more from Skylake’s higher clock speeds and IPC, while others may be more sensitive to memory bandwidth, where DDR4 support gives Skylake an edge. Consider the applications you use most frequently and choose the CPU that performs best in those scenarios.
Conclusion: Making The Right Choice
In summary, Skylake generally offers better performance, features, and platform versatility compared to Broadwell. While Broadwell excels in power efficiency, Skylake provides a more compelling package for most users, especially those building or upgrading desktop PCs.
The decision between Broadwell and Skylake ultimately depends on your specific needs, budget, and priorities. Carefully consider the factors outlined in this article to make an informed choice that aligns with your requirements. If performance and future-proofing are paramount, Skylake is the clear winner. However, if power efficiency and cost are the primary concerns, Broadwell may still be a viable option.
What Were The Key Architectural Differences Between Skylake And Broadwell?
Broadwell was primarily a die shrink of the Haswell architecture, moving from a 22nm manufacturing process to 14nm. This allowed for smaller transistors and increased power efficiency, leading to lower power consumption and improved performance per watt. Broadwell also introduced some minor improvements like updated instruction set extensions, but the core architecture remained largely the same as Haswell.
Skylake, on the other hand, represented a more significant architectural overhaul. It introduced a new microarchitecture with improvements to the front-end, out-of-order execution, and memory controller. Skylake also featured a new socket (LGA 1151) requiring new motherboards, and notably supported both DDR3L and DDR4 memory, although DDR4 became the dominant choice. Furthermore, Skylake introduced enhanced integrated graphics capabilities compared to Broadwell.
How Did Skylake And Broadwell Compare In Terms Of Performance?
Broadwell generally offered a modest performance increase over Haswell, primarily due to the improved power efficiency and slightly higher clock speeds attainable thanks to the 14nm process. However, the performance gains were not revolutionary and were often less noticeable in desktop applications compared to mobile devices where power efficiency was paramount. For desktop users upgrading from Haswell, the performance uplift was often considered marginal.
Skylake provided a more significant performance jump compared to both Broadwell and Haswell. The architectural improvements, coupled with the move to DDR4 memory (in many cases), resulted in noticeable improvements in CPU-intensive tasks, gaming, and overall system responsiveness. While not a massive leap, Skylake offered enough of a performance advantage to justify an upgrade for users still using older architectures or those looking for a noticeable boost in performance.
Which CPU Generation Offered Better Power Efficiency And Why?
Broadwell generally offered superior power efficiency compared to Skylake. This was primarily due to its “tick” in Intel’s “tick-tock” development model, focusing on shrinking the existing Haswell architecture to a 14nm process. The smaller transistors allowed for lower voltage operation, resulting in significantly reduced power consumption, particularly at lower workloads. This made Broadwell especially suitable for laptops and other mobile devices where battery life was a key concern.
While Skylake also benefited from the 14nm process, its new architecture introduced more complex components and features, leading to slightly higher power consumption than Broadwell, especially at higher workloads. However, the increased power consumption was often offset by the improved performance, resulting in a better performance-per-watt ratio compared to Haswell in some scenarios. Despite the slight increase in power consumption, Skylake still offered good power efficiency compared to older architectures.
What Type Of Memory Did Skylake And Broadwell Support?
Broadwell primarily supported DDR3L memory, which is a low-voltage variant of DDR3. Some Broadwell processors, particularly those designed for mobile devices, exclusively supported DDR3L to further enhance power efficiency. While technically capable of supporting other types of memory, DDR3L was the officially supported and commonly used memory standard for Broadwell-based systems.
Skylake was the first mainstream Intel platform to support both DDR3L and DDR4 memory. However, DDR4 quickly became the dominant choice, especially for desktop systems. While some Skylake motherboards included DDR3L slots, the performance benefits of DDR4, coupled with its increasing availability and affordability, made it the preferred option for most Skylake users. Utilizing DDR4 with Skylake significantly improved memory bandwidth and overall system performance.
Was Upgrading From Broadwell To Skylake Worth It?
For most users, upgrading from Broadwell to Skylake was generally not considered a worthwhile investment. While Skylake offered performance improvements, the difference was often not significant enough to justify the cost of a new motherboard and potentially new memory (if switching to DDR4). The performance gains were generally more noticeable for users with older architectures like Haswell or Ivy Bridge.
However, there were specific scenarios where an upgrade from Broadwell to Skylake might have been beneficial. For example, if a user needed the specific features of the Skylake chipset or required the increased memory bandwidth offered by DDR4, then the upgrade might have been justifiable. Additionally, users upgrading from a Broadwell laptop to a Skylake desktop might have experienced a more noticeable performance difference due to the differences in platform and component capabilities.
Which Platform Offered Better Integrated Graphics Performance?
Skylake offered significantly better integrated graphics performance compared to Broadwell. Skylake’s integrated graphics, known as Intel HD Graphics 530 (and variants), featured improvements in architecture and execution units, resulting in a noticeable increase in performance in games and graphical applications. This made Skylake a more viable option for users who didn’t require a dedicated graphics card for light gaming and everyday tasks.
While Broadwell’s integrated graphics (Intel Iris Graphics 6200 and variants) were an improvement over Haswell’s, they were still less powerful than Skylake’s integrated graphics. Broadwell’s graphics were sufficient for basic tasks like web browsing and video playback, but struggled with more demanding games and applications. The performance difference was particularly noticeable in newer games that required more graphical processing power.
Did Skylake Introduce Any New Features That Broadwell Lacked?
Skylake introduced several new features and improvements that were not present in Broadwell. One notable feature was the support for DDR4 memory, which offered increased bandwidth and performance compared to DDR3L. Skylake also featured an updated chipset with improved connectivity options, including more PCIe lanes and USB 3.1 ports. Furthermore, Skylake brought advancements in power management and security features.
Beyond hardware features, Skylake also included improvements to the instruction set, such as the addition of new AVX instructions for improved performance in certain applications. While Broadwell had some minor instruction set updates, Skylake’s changes were more significant and contributed to its overall performance advantage. These new features made Skylake a more modern and capable platform compared to Broadwell, although the impact varied depending on the specific use case.