Intel video hardware generations

This file summarizes the different generations of Intel hardware, because the naming is a bit inconsistent and it’s hard to follow which is which sometimes. The devices can be referred to by year of introduction, generation number, chipset commercial number, or internal codenames.

Generation 1

These are the i740 and i810 devices handled by intel_810. No further info will be provided here.

Generation 2 / 2002

i830, 845, 85x, 865

Generation 3 / 2004

This is the first generation to be documented at intellinuxgraphics.org. Generation 2 devices are quite similar for the modesetting part, but not identical.

GMA 900 (i915G) GMA 950 (i945G) GMA 3000 (946GZ, Q965, Q963) GMA 3100 (G31, G33, Q33 et Q35) GMA 3150 (Pineview for Atom CPUs)

Generation 4 / 2006

GMA X3000 (i965G) GMA X3100 (i965GM) GMA X3500 (G35) GMA 4500 (Q43, Q45) GMA 4500M / 4500HD (GL40, GS45, GM45, GM47) GMA X4500 / X4500HD (G41, G43 (X4500), G45 (X4500HD))

Generation 5 / 2010

Westmere / Clarkdale, Arrandale / Iron Lake / Ibex Peak

Switches from the traditional northbridge / southbridge to the new “platform control hub” design. Essentially, most of the northbridge functions are now directly in the CPU package.

Generation 6 / 2011

Sandybridge / Cougar Point

The northbridge and CPU are now even on the same die.

Generation 7 / 2012

Ivy Bridge / Panther Point and Haswell / Lynx Point

A lot of the video output hardware is moved from the northbridge (CPU) to the PCH. This makes sense because it allows to match the PCH chipset (soldered on to the motherboard) with the video ports (also soldered there). Otherwise, the CPU generation would define which ports are usable or not.

This impacts several things in the modesetting sequence, as well as the address of the registers which are moved.

This is also the first generation to support 3 independant displays, which also impacts the register layout in many places.

Generation 8 / 2013

Broadwell / Wildcat Point and Braswell

Generation 9 / 2015

Skylake / Sunrise Point, Apollo Lake, Kaby Lake / Union Point

Generation 10

Cannon Point / Coffee Lake

Generation 11

Ice Lake

Generation 12

Tiger Lake