Over the years, there has been a continuous evolution in CPU cores. The evolution of CPU cores in computers began with single-core processors. Multithreading followed, then dual-core and quad-core configurations.
Intel’s 12th and 13th generation CPUs surprised us by introducing two types of cores: E-Cores, P-Cores.
What exactly are Intel E and P cores? And why should you care about them?
Intel CPUs Have Different Cores: In the x86 computing landscape, the cores of a CPU used to be uniform. Each core had the same clock speed and processing power, which accounted for minor differences. The design was logical, as multi-core systems were designed to spread tasks across all cores in order to achieve faster processing.
The big.LITTLE Architecture, developed by British semiconductor developer Arm, changed the course of history. Arm’s architecture uses two cores for different purposes. The cores are divided into two groups: the larger cores, which focus on performance, handle demanding tasks. While the smaller cores, which consume less power, handle background tasks. This combination enabled Arm to improve chip performance and maintain low power consumption.
Intel’s latest approach is exactly what it is doing. They have included two cores that are different in functionality. Intel first experimented this concept with its mobile Lakefield processors, namely the Intel Core i5 – L16G7 and Core i3 – L13G4. These chips had one P-core, and four E cores. Intel, despite mixed results from the initial implementation, continued the strategy in its primary chip lineup, starting with Alder Lake. Its successor, Raptor Lake received wide acclaim.
AMD hasn’t officially confirmed that it will adopt this design in the near-future for its Ryzen processors, but there are rumors. Hardware Times has reported that an AMD CPU allegedly uses the big.LITTLE style, first noticed on Twitter by InstLax64.
Intel’s E-cores/P-cores layout closely resembles Arm’s big.LITTLE philosophy, which has been around for many years. It has so far proven to be a significant upgrade over other x86 layouts.
Let’s now dive into the details of an Intel P core.
Intel’s dual-core layouts have a P-core or performance core. This is the strongest type of core. These cores are more powerful, run at faster clock speeds and excel at executing tasks and instructions. The P-cores of the chip are the main workhorses, taking on the most demanding workloads. Intel’s newest CPUs have P-cores based on the Golden Cove (for 12th Gen CPUs) and Raptor Cove (for 13th Gen CPUs), replacing the older Cypress Cove (11th Gen) cores.
P-cores typically handle intensive tasks such as gaming, complex workloads and other operations which benefit from high-performance single-core performance. Intel’s cores used to be uniform and all instructions were equally distributed among the cores. Hyperthreading is also available on P-cores, which allows each core to simultaneously handle two threads of processing, improving their multitasking abilities.
Here’s a look at the Intel E-core processor.
Intel E-cores are the stars of the CPU design. While we are all familiar with P-cores and have used them for many years, they are the true innovators. While P-cores get all the attention and headlines, E-cores are responsible for a variety of everyday tasks.
E-cores may be smaller and less powerful, but they also consume less power. They are primarily focused on maximizing performance per watt and power efficiency. What exactly are E-cores? They handle multi-core tasks and background tasks in conjunction with P-core configurations, which allows the P cores to be largely free for heavy workloads.
Intel’s 12th and 13th generation chips have E-cores based on the Gracemont microarchitecture. This replaces Tremont which was used for certain Pentium gold and Celeron laptop processors. E-cores, as you might expect, are low-power cores that operate at slower clock speeds. Some mobile chips run at 700MHz. Intel’s E-cores are low-power, but they still perform better than cores of previous generations.
Let’s now explore how E-cores and P-cores interact.
They complement each other well. Intel claims that the P-cores of the 12th-Generation chips are 19% faster than those in Intel’s 11th Generation chips. Further improvements will be made in the 13th-Generation chips. Intel E-cores also aren’t slouches. These chips offer 40% more performance for the same amount of power as Skylake. Skylake was introduced in 2015. Some older gaming computers still use it. Considering that E-cores were designed to be low power, their performance is impressive.
Intel’s new hybrid core design has put it at the forefront of performance in CPUs. The combination of P-cores with E-cores allows these CPUs to excel in both productivity and gaming tasks. The question is not “performance cores against efficiency cores,” but how well the two cores combine to improve overall performance.
Intel’s new chips are able to achieve impressive scores in multi-core benchmarks and outstanding single-core results, showing their versatility. Intel chips used to be renowned for having exceptional single-core performances, but they often lagged behind AMD when it came to multi-core performance. Intel’s core layout has made a difference.
AMD, recognizing the success of this hybrid approach, is rumored adopt a similar CPU architecture for its upcoming Ryzen 8000 chip, following the all identical Zen 4 core layout in the Ryzen 7000 Series.
Intel has seen remarkable results with hybrid CPU layouts. Although not a new concept in the tech world they are a brand-new concept for the x86 Architecture. The result of this advancement is that Intel’s chips now have more cores, which results in better performance.
Even in their initial implementations, hybrid CPU layouts are one of the most significant PC developments in recent years. We look forward to further improvements and advancements in the near future.
