Skylake
Product brand
UnclaimedSkylake is Intel's sixth-generation Core-era processor microarchitecture, introduced in 2015 as a 14-nanometer redesign for desktop, mobile, enthusiast, workstation, and server processors.
Last updated October 14, 2026
Overview
Skylake is Intel's codename for a processor microarchitecture and the processor families built from it. It succeeded Haswell and Broadwell and formed the basis of many products marketed under Intel's sixth-generation Core branding. Intel introduced the first Skylake desktop processors in August 2015, positioning the architecture as a major design revision within the company's then-current tick-tock development model. Whereas the preceding Broadwell generation represented a process transition to 14-nanometer manufacturing, Skylake was intended to be the corresponding architectural redesign, while continuing to use the 14-nanometer process. Development was led principally by Intel's engineering organization in Haifa, Israel. The design evolved from Haswell and Broadwell but placed particular emphasis on scalability. Intel sought to use the same broad architecture across low-power tablet and notebook parts, conventional desktop processors, high-performance enthusiast products, and Xeon server and workstation chips. This resulted in several product variants, including low-power Y and U parts, mobile and workstation-oriented H parts, mainstream desktop S parts, and high-end X-series processors. Mainstream desktop chips used the LGA 1151 socket and Intel's 100-series platform, while later enthusiast Skylake-X products used LGA 2066 with the X299 platform. Skylake introduced or expanded several platform and architectural capabilities. The design removed the fully integrated voltage regulator used in Haswell-family processors, returning more voltage-regulation responsibilities to the motherboard. Mainstream systems moved from DMI 2.0 to DMI 3.0, and the platform supported both DDR3L and DDR4 memory during the industry's transition between memory standards. Intel also introduced a UniDIMM format intended to let compatible systems use either memory type. Other platform features included chipset-based NVMe connectivity, Thunderbolt 3 support on suitable systems, improved display connectivity, and support for up to three displays through interfaces such as HDMI, DisplayPort, and embedded DisplayPort. The processor core received larger out-of-order resources, additional execution capacity, wider retirement, improved load and store throughput, and enhancements to hyper-threading. Skylake also introduced Intel Speed Shift in supported mobile products, as well as Intel Memory Protection Extensions and Software Guard Extensions. Certain Xeon variants added portions of AVX-512, while selected consumer and workstation models included eDRAM as an additional cache. The Gen9 integrated graphics processor improved graphics and media capabilities, including Direct3D 12 feature-level support, hardware assistance for HEVC video, partial VP9 decoding, and Intel Quick Sync improvements. The generation was notable for its broad market reach but also for several controversies and limitations. Motherboard manufacturers discovered that some non-K desktop processors could be overclocked by manipulating the base clock through special firmware. Intel subsequently distributed microcode that removed this capability, although some later boards used external clock generators to retain similar functionality. Microsoft also revised its policy for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 support on Skylake systems after enterprise customers criticized an initially shortened support period. Skylake processors were later affected by broader speculative-execution security concerns, including Spectre, and some models had a documented hyper-threading-related erratum that required a microcode fix. Skylake was succeeded in Intel's mainstream product sequence by Kaby Lake, although the two generations shared substantial architectural characteristics. Intel discontinued most LGA 1151 Skylake processors in 2019, with a small number of exceptions remaining outside the initial discontinuation scope. As a product generation, Skylake is therefore no longer active, but its designs remain his…
History
Skylake was developed as Intel's successor to the Haswell and Broadwell microarchitectures. Intel's Haifa engineering organization played the principal role in its development. The project was designed during a difficult period for Intel's 14-nanometer manufacturing transition. Broadwell, the first major Intel architecture on that process, had suffered launch delays, leading observers to expect that Skylake might also slip. Intel ultimately brought Skylake forward and shortened Broadwell's commercial cycle. Intel publicly discussed Skylake at its September 2014 Developer Forum in San Francisco. The company described it as a forthcoming architecture with a development platform planned for early 2015 and volume processor shipments expected during the second half of the year. Demonstrations included a desktop test system and a working notebook playing 4K video. The first retail processors, the unlocked Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K, were announced at Gamescom on August 5, 2015. The architecture was conceived for a wide range of power envelopes, extending from approximately tablet-class designs to desktop and server products. Intel organized the family into S, X, H, U, and Y variants. S-series parts targeted mainstream desktops; X-series products served enthusiasts and workstations; H-series parts addressed high-performance notebooks; and U- and Y-series chips targeted thinner, lower-power computers. Most mainstream desktop products used LGA 1151 and Intel 100-series chipsets. Skylake-X later used LGA 2066 and the X299 platform, while Xeon variants used server and workstation chipsets such as C232 and C236 rather than ordinary desktop chipsets. Skylake's CPU design was an evolution rather than a complete break with earlier Intel cores. It enlarged several internal structures, improved out-of-order execution, added execution and load/store capacity, and widened retirement in hyper-threaded operation. The integrated voltage regulator introduced with Haswell was removed, with voltage regulation again relying more heavily on the motherboard. Platform connectivity improved through DMI 3.0, chipset-based NVMe support, and compatibility with newer storage and peripheral technologies. The generation arrived during the industry's migration from DDR3 to DDR4. Mainstream Skylake platforms supported both DDR3L and DDR4 in appropriate configurations, and Intel promoted UniDIMM modules as a way to accommodate either memory technology in certain systems. The platform also introduced or expanded support for Thunderbolt 3, modern display interfaces, and integrated media functions. The Gen9 graphics architecture supported Direct3D 12 feature-level capabilities, OpenGL improvements, frame-buffer compression, and accelerated handling of several contemporary video formats, including HEVC and VP9-related workloads. Skylake introduced Intel MPX and SGX, while selected server and workstation products added AVX-512 capabilities. Mobile parts incorporated Intel Speed Shift and additional low-power states. Certain premium processors included eDRAM that could serve as a large on-package cache. The architecture also became a significant platform for experimentation by motherboard vendors. Some manufacturers enabled overclocking of locked non-K desktop chips by changing the base clock, but this disrupted power-management functions and could disable turbo operation, integrated graphics, or accurate temperature reporting. Intel later removed the capability through microcode, although specialized motherboard designs subsequently offered alternative methods. Operating-system support became another important part of Skylake's history. Microsoft initially announced a shortened support arrangement for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on Skylake systems, citing the difficulty of supporting new hardware, firmware, and drivers on older operating systems. Enterprise objections led Microsoft to revise the policy in 2016, eventually confirming broader support through the ordinary lifecycles of those Windows releases. Skylake remains the last Intel platform generation for which pre-Windows 10 versions of Microsoft Windows received official platform support under that policy framework. The architecture also experienced reliability and security scrutiny. Intel documented a hyper-threading erratum involving specific short instruction loops and supplied microcode mitigation. Later, the Spectre family of speculative-execution attacks exposed security weaknesses affecting Skylake and many other out-of-order processors. Mitigations could involve firmware, operating-system, compiler, and application changes, with potential performance effects depending on workload. Intel began discontinuing mainstream LGA 1151 Skylake products on March 4, 2019, while retaining a limited set of models outside the initial end-of-life notice. Kaby Lake and subsequent generations shared substantial architectural lineage with Skylake, making Skylake an important foundation for several years of Intel client and server development. Although no longer an active product generation, it remains historically significant as Intel's broad 14-nanometer architecture for the DDR4 transition and for the expansion of a common design across mobile, desktop, enthusiast, and server markets.
- 2019
Mainstream Skylake LGA 1151 CPUs reach end of life
[1]Intel discontinued most LGA 1151 Skylake processors, with a limited number of models excluded from the initial end-of-life action.
- 2016
Microsoft changes its Skylake Windows support policy
[1]Following enterprise criticism, Microsoft revised its initial restrictions and later confirmed support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on Skylake through their respective support lifecycles.
- 2016
Intel removes non-K overclocking support
[1]Intel announced a microcode change intended to close the base-clock overclocking method enabled by certain motherboard firmware updates.
- 2015
First Skylake processors launch
[1]Intel introduced the unlocked Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K, initiating the commercial launch of the sixth-generation Core family.
- 2014
Skylake is announced publicly
[1]Intel presented the Skylake architecture at its Developer Forum and outlined plans for development platforms and 2015 volume shipments.
Products and positioning
A scalable 14-nanometer Intel architecture designed to span low-power mobile devices, mainstream PCs, gaming desktops, workstations, and servers, with improved performance-per-watt, integrated graphics, media processing, security features, and support for the transition to DDR4 memory.
Mainstream desktop processors · 2015
Skylake-S
The S-series comprised mainstream desktop processors using the LGA 1151 socket and Intel 100-series chipsets. It included Core-branded consumer CPUs with integrated Gen9 graphics, as well as unlocked K models intended for enthusiast overclocking. The family supported DDR3L or DDR4 configurations depending on the platform and was designed for conventional desktop computers, gaming systems, and small-form-factor PCs.
Low-power mobile processors · 2015
Skylake-U and Skylake-Y
U- and Y-series processors targeted notebooks, tablets, and other thin or low-power computers. They used compact BGA packaging, supported reduced-power operating states, and emphasized battery life and thermal efficiency. These variants shared the Skylake CPU design while using different power envelopes and integrated graphics configurations from mainstream desktop products.
High-performance mobile processors · 2015
Skylake-H
H-series Skylake processors were designed for higher-performance notebooks, mobile workstations, and gaming laptops. They offered more performance and thermal headroom than the U and Y families while retaining integrated graphics and modern media acceleration. Some mobile Skylake products were unlocked for overclocking, extending the architecture's enthusiast positioning beyond desktop computers.
Enthusiast and workstation processors · 2017
Skylake-X
Skylake-X was the high-end desktop and workstation branch of the architecture. It used the LGA 2066 socket and X299 chipset platform rather than mainstream LGA 1151 infrastructure. The family offered higher core counts than ordinary desktop Skylake products and targeted demanding gaming, content creation, engineering, and professional workloads. Later Skylake-X processors were among the few Skylake-derived products associated with official Windows 11 compatibility listings.
Entry-level server and workstation processors · 2015
Xeon E3 v5
Xeon E3 v5 processors used Skylake-derived cores for entry-level servers, professional workstations, and small-business systems. Unlike earlier generations, they required server-oriented C232 or C236 chipsets and generally could not be paired with ordinary desktop chipsets using the same socket. Xeon variants added enterprise-oriented features and, in selected products, specialized instruction-set extensions.
Brand decisions
2019
Intel begins end-of-life action for mainstream Skylake CPUsOtherBackground
Skylake had been superseded in Intel's mainstream product sequence by newer generations sharing much of its architectural lineage.
Action taken
Intel declared most LGA 1151 Skylake processors discontinued, while several specified models remained outside the initial discontinuation notice.
Aftermath
Skylake transitioned from an active processor generation to a legacy platform still used in existing PCs, workstations, and servers.
2016
Intel closes the non-K overclocking pathOtherBackground
Motherboard vendors had discovered that certain locked Skylake processors could be overclocked by changing the base-clock value through beta UEFI firmware. The method also interfered with power management, turbo operation, integrated graphics, and temperature reporting.
Action taken
Intel announced a microcode update that prevented the unsupported overclocking technique. Some motherboard makers later pursued external-clock-generator designs that provided another route to base-clock adjustment.
Aftermath
The episode distinguished Intel's officially supported unlocked K and X products from unofficial overclocking methods available on locked chips and firmware.
2016
Microsoft extends legacy Windows support for Skylake systemsStrategyBackground
Microsoft initially planned a shorter support period for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on Skylake hardware, citing the engineering cost and reliability challenges of supporting newer hardware with older operating systems. Enterprise customers objected to the policy.
Action taken
Microsoft revised the cutoff dates and later stated that Skylake users would receive full support for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 through the normal lifecycles of those operating systems.
Aftermath
Skylake became the last Intel platform generation to retain official support for pre-Windows 10 Microsoft Windows versions under the revised policy.
Recent events
- 2019
Intel discontinues most LGA 1151 Skylake processors[1]
Product generation · Other
Intel declared most mainstream LGA 1151 Skylake CPUs end-of-life, while several models, including the Core i3-6100, Core i5-6500, and Xeon E3 v5, were excluded from that initial discontinuation action.
- 2016
Microsoft revises Windows support policy for Skylake PCs[1]
Regulation · Other
After criticism from enterprise customers, Microsoft extended its planned support arrangements for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on Skylake systems and later stated that the operating systems would remain supported through their normal lifecycles.
- 2016
Intel disables non-K Skylake overclocking through microcode[1]
Other · Product generation
Intel announced that a microcode update would remove a base-clock overclocking method that motherboard vendors had enabled for certain locked Skylake processors.
- 2015
First Skylake desktop processors launch[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Intel announced the Core i7-6700K and Core i5-6600K at Gamescom, beginning the commercial rollout of the sixth-generation Core desktop family.
- 2014
Intel previews Skylake architecture and development platform[1]
Product launch · Product generation
Intel presented Skylake at its Developer Forum and indicated that development platforms would become available before volume processor shipments planned for 2015.
Skylake receives microcode mitigation for a hyper-threading erratum[1]
Other
Intel documented a rare issue involving short instruction loops on hyper-threaded Skylake processors that could produce unpredictable behavior; microcode updates were issued as a mitigation.
Skylake affected by Spectre-class speculative-execution vulnerabilities[1]
Other
Skylake processors were among the Intel generations affected by Spectre-related attacks and associated speculative-execution concerns, leading to software, firmware, and microcode mitigations.
Sources1 sources
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