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Skylake discrete GPU performance improvement - Intel Microcode Update

Dave2150

Dave2150

Dave2150

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31 Oct 2002
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Turns out Skylake shipped with a small bug - the 'FCLK', which controls data from CPU to GPU via the PCI-E bus, was only clocked at 800Mhz on all motherboard's release BIOS.

Intel intended the desktop Skylake chips to run at 1000Mhz, so they released a microcode update this week which enables the CPU's to run at this speed.

The results are an up to 3% improvement in any application which uses a discrete GPU, so mainly gaming.

Here's Ananadtech's data for a 6700k at 800Mhz FCLCK and at the proper intended 1Ghz FCLCK: ( at stock 4Ghz CPU clock)

BqZpUmW.png


Anandtech also updated their bench results for the 6700k, to reflect the changes (though they'll remove the incorrect launch results in due time):

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/1543?vs=1555

Source: Excellent article on Anandtech explaining the whole issue:

http://www.anandtech.com/show/9607/skylake-discrete-graphics-performance-pcie-optimizations

TLDR: Skylake is upto 3% faster for gaming than the launch results showed

P.S. Seems the BIOS updates to enable this functionality are already out, new BIOS update for my motherboard with microcode update:

MAXIMUS VIII HERO BIOS 0802
update ME version
 
Looking at the anandtech bench comparison it makes bugger all difference but how on earth did they slip up like that in the first place?
 
Orangey said:
Strange that 290X would show least gains despite XDMA.
Click to expand...

Yea, I thought that too.

Wouldn't be surprised if there's another bug affecting AMD cards. Bearing in mind the crazy memory bandwidth of the 290x/390x etc, it would stand to reason that they'd gain more benefit from this change.
 
Seems like it benefits the slower discrete GPU's much more than the newer faster ones, but I suppose any performance for free is a good thing. does seem like a bit of a fopar by Intel to release Skylark like that in the first place.
 
humbug said:
Why do Intel bother releasing new CPU's? to hike the price?

3770K vs 6700K

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/551?vs=1555

4770K vs 6700K

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/836?vs=1555
Click to expand...

Anandtech used the slowest DDR4 possible in their benchmarks.

Much wiser to use review that use decent DDR4, as in 3000Mhz+ kits, since they are not much more expensive than the cheapest stuff.

o9pofGs.jpg


A decent improvement over the 4790k at stock, plus these overclock very well, offering even more performance over the 4790k.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/intel_skylake_i5_6600k_i7_6700k_1151_z170_review/9
 
Dave2150 said:
Anandtech used the slowest DDR4 possible in their benchmarks.

Much wiser to use review that use decent DDR4, as in 3000Mhz+ kits, since they are not much more expensive than the cheapest stuff.

o9pofGs.jpg


A decent improvement over the 4790k at stock, plus these overclock very well, offering even more performance over the 4790k.

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews/cpu_mainboard/intel_skylake_i5_6600k_i7_6700k_1151_z170_review/9
Click to expand...

879 vs 932, its 6%. and what memory was the 4790K using?
 
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