Intel beefs up fifth-gen Core chips with Iris graphics
Intel has revealed a crop of new fifth-gen Core chips for mobile and desktop that should tide over power-users and gamers until next-gen "Skylake" CPUs arrive later this year. There are five new models for desktop and five for mobile, all packing the latest Iris Pro 6200 graphics. The most interesting model for desktop users is the Core i7-5775-C, a CPU that will replace the current i7-4790S for around $365. Thanks to the Iris chip, Intel says that model will double its predecessor's graphics performance and boost media chores by 35 percent. The top new laptop model is the $623 Core i7-5950HQ chip, which doubles the overall performance of older i7-5600U models.
Obviously, a mobile CPU that pricey is destined for only high-end Ultrabooks or gaming and graphics-targeted laptops. But if you end up with any of the new Core i7 or i5 models in a new notebook, you're going to get a big boost in graphics performance without the added cost of discrete AMD or NVIDIA chips. Also, Intel says that the arrival of Iris Pro-level graphics to LGA desktop chips for the first time means faster media encoding, better 4K support and smoother gaming on mini desktop models, all-in-ones and other small form factor PCs. You'll see new systems packing the chips within 30-60 days.
