The Intel Tick-Tock Model of Architecture & Silicon Cadence

"Our tick-tock strategy of alternating next generation silicon technology and a new microprocessor architecture—year after year—is accelerating the pace of innovation in the industry." - Paul Otellini, President and CEO, Intel Corporation.

Reliable and predictable processor advancements

To drive rapid technology innovation on a reliable and predictable timeline, Intel employs a tick-tock model of processor development. This model is designed to deliver comprehensive and ongoing innovation on a two-year cadence.

Year 1: "Tick"

Intel delivers a new silicon process technology that dramatically increases transistor density versus the previous generation. This technology is used to enhance performance and energy efficiency by shrinking and refining the existing microarchitecture.

Year 2: "Tock"

Intel delivers an entirely new processor microarchitecture to optimize the value of the increased number of transistor and technology updates that are now available.

Progress you can count on

Intel's advances in silicon process technology have fueled innovation in the computing industry for 40 years, and Intel process technologies continue to lead the industry by well over a year. Intel chip designers integrate our transistor innovations into advanced processor and chipset designs, so each successive generation enables smaller, more powerful and more energy-efficient servers, PCs and handheld devices.

With billions of transistors in Intel's most advanced processors, microarchitecture design is incredibly complex. By alternating silicon and microarchitecture development in a tick-tock model, process technology challenges can be resolved independently of microarchitecture challenges. This reduces complexity and risk in each iteration, so Intel's latest processor innovations are delivered as reliably and predictably as possible.

Tick-tock in action

To maintain this reliable, two-year cadence, Intel's multiple design teams work in parallel around the globe with careful coordination between teams to deliver coordinated advances.

The results can be seen in the success of the Intel® Core™2 processor family. These processors delivered industry-leading performance and energy efficiency when first delivered on 65nm Intel® Core™ microarchitecture (tock). More recently, the same microarchitecture was implemented and refined on 45nm process technology (tick), delivering another major leap forward.

That level of innovation can be expected to continue. Intel's published roadmap already includes three future product generations—code-named Nehalem, Westmere and Sandy Bridge—all planned for delivery in accordance with the tick-tock model.

Innovation driven by microprocessor advances.

All products, technologies, dates, and figures specified are preliminary based on current expectations, and are subject to change without notice.

Supporting industry-wide innovation

Many thousands of vendors rely on Intel processors in their own product designs. To help ensure Intel processor advances meet their needs, Intel also invests strongly in research efforts to support next-generation solutions at the silicon level, and to help drive and support industry-wide standards. Combined with the predictability of the Intel tick-tock model, these efforts are enabling faster and more efficient innovation throughout the industry.

More information

Learn more about Intel silicon technologies and microarchitecture development.

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