Skylake (microarchitecture)

Skylake
	Intel Core i7-6700K with four physical cores
General information
Launched	August 5, 2015
Discontinued	March 4, 2019 (desktop processors)
Marketed by	Intel
Designed by	Intel
Common manufacturer(s)	Intel;
CPUID code	0406e3h, 0506e3h
Product code	80662 (mainstream and mobile Xeon E3); 80673 (enthusiast and server);
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate	Up to 5.0 GHz
Cache
L1 cache	64 KB per core (32 KB instructions + 32 KB data)
L2 cache	256 KB per core ; (1 MB per core for Skylake-X, SP, and W)
L3 cache	Up to 38.5 MB shared
L4 cache	128 MB of eDRAM (on Iris Pro models)
Architecture and classification
Technology node	14 nm bulk silicon 3D transistors (Tri-Gate)
Microarchitecture	Skylake
Instruction set	x86-16, IA-32, x86-64
Extensions	AES-NI, CLMUL, RDRAND, MPX, TXT, SGX; MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, ADX; AVX, AVX2, AVX-512 (Skylake-SP, Skylake-W & Skylake-X), TSX, FMA3; VT-x, VT-d;
Physical specifications
Cores	2–28;
Socket(s)	Desktop LGA 1151; LGA 2066; ; Server & Workstation LGA 3647; LGA 2066; ; Mobile BGA 1168; BGA 1356; BGA 1515; BGA 1440; ;
Products, models, variants
Product code name(s)	SKL;
Brand name(s)	Core i3; Core i5; Core i7; Core i9; Core X-Series; Core m3; Core m5; Core m7; Xeon; Celeron; Pentium; ;
History
Predecessor(s)	Broadwell (Tick/Process)
Successor(s)	Kaby Lake (Optimization, desktop, laptop, low-end server, and mobile workstation); Cascade Lake (HEDT, workstation, and mid- to high-end server); Palm Cove (Process);
Support status
	Client: Unsupported as of December 30, 2022 for iGPU ; Xeon E3 v5: Unsupported as of December 30, 2022 for iGPU; Other Xeon: supported

Skylake^[6]^[7] is Intel's codename for its sixth generation Core microprocessor family that was launched on August 5, 2015,^[8] succeeding the Broadwell microarchitecture.^[9] Skylake is a microarchitecture redesign using the same 14 nm manufacturing process technology^[10] as its predecessor, serving as a tock in Intel's tick–tock manufacturing and design model. According to Intel, the redesign brings greater CPU and GPU performance and reduced power consumption. Skylake CPUs share their microarchitecture with Kaby Lake, Coffee Lake, Whiskey Lake, and Comet Lake CPUs.

Skylake is the last Intel platform on which Windows earlier than Windows 10 are officially supported by Microsoft,^[11] although enthusiast-created modifications are available that disabled the Windows Update check and allowed Windows 8.1 and earlier to continue to receive Windows Updates on this and later platforms.^[12]^[13]^[14]

Some of the processors based on the Skylake microarchitecture are marketed as 6th-generation Core.^[15]^[16]^[17]

Intel officially declared end of life and discontinued Skylake LGA 1151 CPUs (except Xeon E3 v5) on March 4, 2019.^[18]

^ "Intel Core i7-6700K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.20 GHz)". Ark.intel.com. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
^ Alcorn, Paul (June 3, 2016). "Skylake Xeon Platforms Spotted, Purley Makes A Quiet Splash At Computex". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
^ Cite error: The named reference bitsnchips was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference avx512 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cutress, Ian (August 5, 2015). "The Intel Skylake Mobile and Desktop Launch, with Architecture Analysis". AnandTech. Retrieved September 18, 2015.
^ "The Compute Architecture of Intel® Processor Graphics Gen9" (PDF). Intel. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
^ "Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Optimization Reference Manual" (PDF). Intel. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
^ "Intel Unleashes Next-Gen Enthusiast Desktop PC Platform at Gamescom". Intel Newsroom. August 5, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
^ Demerjian, Charlie (March 31, 2011). "After Intel's Haswell comes Broadwell". SemiAccurate. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
^ "Intel Presentation: 22nm Details" (PDF). Intel. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
^ Allan, Darren (August 31, 2016). "Intel's latest CPUs will only support Windows 10". TechRadar. Retrieved June 8, 2017.
^ "There's a patch to reinstate Windows 7 & 8.1 on Kaby Lake CPUs | TheINQUIRER". April 20, 2017. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
^ pilao (March 3, 2020), zeffy/wufuc, retrieved March 9, 2020
^ Przemysław (February 9, 2020), p-lider/WuaCpuFix, retrieved March 9, 2020
^ "6th Generation Intel® Core i7-6700K and i5-6600K Processors". Intel. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
^ "6th Generation Intel® Processor Family". Intel. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
^ Mah Ung, Gordon (August 18, 2015). "Why Intel calls Skylake a 6th-generation CPU". PCWorld. Retrieved May 25, 2018.
^ "Product Change Notification" (PDF). Retrieved August 17, 2023.

[i7-6700k-1] "Intel Core i7-6700K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.20 GHz)". Ark.intel.com. Retrieved January 24, 2018.

[tomshardware_purley-2] Alcorn, Paul (June 3, 2016). "Skylake Xeon Platforms Spotted, Purley Makes A Quiet Splash At Computex". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved April 7, 2023.

[bitsnchips-3] Cite error: The named reference bitsnchips was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[avx512-4] Cite error: The named reference avx512 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[5] Cutress, Ian (August 5, 2015). "The Intel Skylake Mobile and Desktop Launch, with Architecture Analysis". AnandTech. Retrieved September 18, 2015.

[software.intel.com-6] "The Compute Architecture of Intel® Processor Graphics Gen9" (PDF). Intel. Retrieved January 24, 2018.

[7] "Intel® 64 and IA-32 Architectures Optimization Reference Manual" (PDF). Intel. Retrieved January 24, 2018.

[8] "Intel Unleashes Next-Gen Enthusiast Desktop PC Platform at Gamescom". Intel Newsroom. August 5, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2015.

[codenames-9] Demerjian, Charlie (March 31, 2011). "After Intel's Haswell comes Broadwell". SemiAccurate. Retrieved January 4, 2012.

[10] "Intel Presentation: 22nm Details" (PDF). Intel. Retrieved January 4, 2012.

[techradar-11] Allan, Darren (August 31, 2016). "Intel's latest CPUs will only support Windows 10". TechRadar. Retrieved June 8, 2017.

[12] "There's a patch to reinstate Windows 7 & 8.1 on Kaby Lake CPUs | TheINQUIRER". April 20, 2017. Archived from the original on April 20, 2017. Retrieved March 9, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

[13] (March 3, 2020), zeffy/wufuc, retrieved March 9, 2020

[14] Przemysław (February 9, 2020), p-lider/WuaCpuFix, retrieved March 9, 2020

[15] "6th Generation Intel® Core i7-6700K and i5-6600K Processors". Intel. Retrieved May 25, 2018.

[16] "6th Generation Intel® Processor Family". Intel. Retrieved May 25, 2018.

[17] Mah Ung, Gordon (August 18, 2015). "Why Intel calls Skylake a 6th-generation CPU". PCWorld. Retrieved May 25, 2018.

[18] "Product Change Notification" (PDF). Retrieved August 17, 2023.

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General information
Intel Core i7-6700K with four physical cores
Launched	August 5, 2015; 8 years ago (August 5, 2015)
Discontinued	March 4, 2019; 5 years ago (March 4, 2019) (desktop processors)
Marketed by	Intel
Designed by	Intel
Common manufacturer(s)	Intel
CPUID code	0406e3h, 0506e3h
Product code	80662 (mainstream and mobile Xeon E3) 80673 (enthusiast and server)
Performance
Max. CPU clock rate	Up to 5.0 GHz
Cache
L1 cache	64 KB per core (32 KB instructions + 32 KB data)
L2 cache	256 KB per core (1 MB per core for Skylake-X, SP, and W)
L3 cache	Up to 38.5 MB shared
L4 cache	128 MB of eDRAM (on Iris Pro models)
Architecture and classification
Technology node	14 nm bulk silicon 3D transistors (Tri-Gate)
Microarchitecture	Skylake
Instruction set	x86-16, IA-32, x86-64
Extensions	AES-NI, CLMUL, RDRAND, MPX, TXT, SGX^[1] MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, ADX AVX, AVX2, AVX-512 (Skylake-SP, Skylake-W & Skylake-X^[2]^[3]^[4]), TSX, FMA3 VT-x, VT-d
Physical specifications
Cores	2–28
Socket(s)	Desktop LGA 1151 LGA 2066 Server & Workstation LGA 3647 LGA 2066 Mobile BGA 1168 BGA 1356 BGA 1515 BGA 1440^[5]
Products, models, variants
Product code name(s)	SKL
Brand name(s)	Core i3 Core i5 Core i7 Core i9 Core X-Series Core m3 Core m5 Core m7 Xeon Celeron Pentium
History
Predecessor(s)	Broadwell (Tick/Process)
Successor(s)	Kaby Lake (Optimization, desktop, laptop, low-end server, and mobile workstation) Cascade Lake (HEDT, workstation, and mid- to high-end server) Palm Cove (Process)
Support status
Client: Unsupported as of December 30, 2022 for iGPU Xeon E3 v5: Unsupported as of December 30, 2022 for iGPU Other Xeon: supported