dri/ IntelCodenames

Intel Codenames

This page maps between Intel GPU codenames, marketing names, GPU generations, and CPU generations, while also giving a bit of history along the way.

Ancient History

Gen 0: i740

Not supported on Linux.

Gen 1: i810

Gen 2: i830+ (or anything with an "8xx" number > 830, i.e. i855gm)

  • Product names: Intel Extreme Graphics 2, among others.

Gen 3: i915 and i945

Commonly found in netbooks such as Eee PCs.

  • Codenames: Pineview/Pinetrail/...
  • Product names: GMA 950, GMA 3000, GMA 3100 (Graphics Media Accelerator)
  • Chipsets: G33, Q33, ...

Gen 3 has limited hardware fragment shading, but not vertex shading. It basically matches ARB_fragment_program's instruction set, and can only support 64 instructions, with no control flow. Anything else requires software fallbacks.

Modern Era

In 2006, Intel completely redesigned their 3D hardware, introducing their first fully programmable GPU. It originally shipped as part of the chipset, rather than the CPU. It originally shipped with the 965G chipset. These are supported by the i965 Mesa driver, and the i915 kernel driver.

Gen 4: Broadwater and Crestline (brw)

Broadwater is where the prefix "brw" comes from in the Mesa i965 driver. Supports OpenGL 2.1.

  • Codenames: Broadwater (G965 desktop), Crestline (GM965 mobile)
  • Product names: GMA X3000, GMA X3100 (note the X!)
  • PRM: DevBW, DevCL
  • Mesa driver: i965 (kernel driver is still i915)

Gen 4.5: Eaglelake and Cantiga (elk, ctg, g4x)

An improved version of the original Broadwater system, but still largely the same. Much improved texturing support.

  • Codenames: Eaglelake (G45 desktop), Cantiga (GM45 mobile)
  • Product names: Intel GMA 4500MHD, ...
  • PRM: DevCTG, DevELK

Gen 5: Ironlake (ilk)

The GPU moves from the chipset to the CPU for the first time. Technically, it's on-package rather than on-die.

  • PRM: DevIL, DevILK, DevIRL. We use "ILK" as the abbreviation.
  • CPU: 1st Generation Core
  • Related Codenames: Clarksdale (desktop), Arrandale (mobile)

Gen 6: Sandybridge (snb)

Intel's first "on-die" graphics, offering much better performance, and OpenGL 3.3 support. Introduces GPU frequency scaling, and the first "GT1" and "GT2" variants. The "math box" is now per-EU (execution unit) rather than a single external unit shared by all threads, leading to better math performance.

  • PRM: DevSNB or DevGT (Gesher Technology)
  • CPU: 2nd Generation Core
  • Product names: HD Graphics 2000 (GT1), HD Graphics 3000 (GT2)
  • Related codenames: Huron River (mobile), Sugar Bary (desktop)

Gen 7: Ivybridge (ivb)

Intel's first OpenGL 4.x / DirectX 11 part. 22nm die shrink.

  • PRM: DevIVB
  • CPU: 3rd Generation Core
  • Product names: HD Graphics 2500 (GT1), HD Graphics 4000 (GT2)
  • Related codenames: Mobile (Chief River), Desktop (Maho Bay)

Gen 7 Chop: Baytrail (byt or vlv)

Basically Ivybridge GT1 integrated with an Atom. Previously known as "Valley View". Called 'byt' in Mesa and 'vlv' in the kernel.

  • PRM: DevBYT, DevVLVT
  • Product names: no actual name - just "Intel HD Graphics".

Gen 7.5: Haswell (hsw)

Introduces GT3 and eDRAM (GT3e) variants. Introduces "Iris" naming. Much faster.

  • PRM: DevHSW
  • CPU: 4th Generation Core
  • Product names:
    • Iris Pro 5200 (GT3e),
    • Iris 5100 (GT3, no eDRAM),
    • HD Graphics 5000 (GT2, higher wattage),
    • HD Graphics 4x00 where x = [2,4,6] (GT2)
    • HD Graphics (GT1)
  • Related codenames: Crystalwell (GT3 with eDRAM/eLLC).

Gen 8: Broadwell (bdw)

A major architecture improvement, and lower power than Haswell thanks to a 14nm die shrink. Non-laptop parts are rare.

  • PRM: DevBDW
  • CPU: 5th Generation Core
  • Product Names: Iris 6x00, HD 5x00/6000

Gen 8 Chop: Cherrytrail (chv) or Braswell (bsw)

Broadwell + Atom.

  • PRM: DevCHV
  • Product Names: HD Graphics (no actual names)

Gen 9: Skylake (skl)

Introduces GT4e variant. New color compression bandwidth saving feature.

  • PRM: DevSKL
  • CPU: 6th Generation Core
  • Product Names: HD 5xx
  • Related Codenames: Skull Canyon (GT4e NUC)

Gen 9 Chop: "Apollolake" or "Broxton" (APL/BXT)

Skylake + Atom. Broxton was famously 'cancelled' but still lives on as Apollolake, which was not cancelled. Two variants (2x6, 3x6), akin to GT levels...

  • PRM: DevCHV, DevBXT
  • Product Names: HD Graphics 500 (2x6), 505 (3x6)

Gen 9 refresh: Kabylake (kbl)

Basically identical to SKL in terms of 3D. Better media support. Fixes trigonometry precision bugs.

  • PRM: DevKBL
  • CPU: 7th Generation Core

Gen 9 refresh refresh: Coffeelake (cfl)

  • PRM: ???
  • CPU: 8th Generation Core
  • Product Names: UHD Graphics

Gen 10: Cannonlake (cnl)

  • PRM: DevCNL, GEN10:*
  • CPU: 8th Generation Core

Gen 11: Icelake (icl)

  • PRM: DevICL, GEN11:*