Buzz
All 3 upcoming generations of Intel Xeon processors are mentioned in the latest video by Moore's Law is Dead, including Granite Rapids-SP, Granite Rapids-WS, and Sierra Forest. Among them, the Granite Rapids line will be equipped with P-Cores for optimized performance, while Sierra Forest, on the contrary, will be more optimized for compute density and equipped with E-Cores.
Intel Sierra Forest - Sporting Up to 512 Processing Cores
First up, let's delve into the Intel Sierra Forest processors, optimized for performance specifically tailored for high-density computing alongside efficient energy usage. Intel Xeon Sierra Forest is highly suitable for selection as the processor for cloud data management servers.
According to MLID, Sierra Forest Xeon processors will contain a minimum of 334 processing cores arranged in 4 core clusters. This means each core cluster will contain 86 processing cores. Additional leaks suggest that Sierra Forest Xeon also has variants with even more cores, up to 528 processing cores with 132 cores per cluster. However, in reality, the product only provides a maximum of 512 cores due to some cores being disabled.
Currently, there isn't a plethora of information available on Sierra Forest Xeon. However, what we do know suggests that Intel will compete neck and neck with AMD on various fronts.
The main product line will still be Scalable, directly competing with EPYC. As for Sierra Forest Xeon, it will compete with some of EPYC's computing products such as the upcoming Bergamo with 128 Zen 4C cores and Falcon Shores. Sierra Forest is expected to launch in 2024 with the 'Intel 3' process.
Intel Granite Rapids-SP - Featuring Up to 132 Cores and Competing with EPYC Zen 5
Intel is expected to bring about significant changes to its 6th generation Granite Rapids-SP Xeon product line. The company states that the 6th generation Xeon processors will be manufactured on the Intel 3 process with 5nm EUV technology. The product is expected to launch around mid-2023 to 2024, quite early as Emerald Rapids generation is merely an intermediate solution and cannot replace the main Xeon line.
Rumors suggest that Xeon Granite Rapids-SP will feature the Redwood Cove+ architecture and improved IPC features bringing about a performance increase of around 15 - 25%. In the 'Turbo' keynote, Intel also introduced an overview of the Granite Rapids-SP CPU lineup. The company states that each core cluster will feature 44 cores, bringing the total to 132 cores along with two I/O dies. However, the core count may decrease to 128 to ensure enhanced performance.
Additionally, the Intel Granite Rapids-SP Xeon CPU will be capable of supporting 12-channel DDR5 memory controllers, several Gen 5 PCIe lanes, and CXL Gen 2. Expectedly, the Granite Rapids-SP lineup will set new standards in data center performance and efficiency.
Intel's upcoming CPU is slated to launch early in 2024 to compete with AMD's Zen 5 architecture on the EPYC Turin processor lineup.Intel Granite Rapids-WS - Featuring Up to 85 Cores, Direct Competitor to Threadripper
The latest rumor concerning the successor to the Sapphire Rapids Workstation CPUs is the Intel Granite Rapids-WS. The CPU line will still be based on the DNA of Granite Rapids, but will only utilize 2 core clusters, resulting in a total of 88 cores. However, the actual number of available cores may fall to around 86 or even fewer.
Similar to AMD's Threadripper, Intel Granite Rapids-WS will utilize a single I/O die. Consequently, the DDR5 memory controller will be streamlined to just 6 channels, offering fewer options compared to its predecessor's 4 or 8 channels. On the positive side, if Intel can consolidate products on the same platform, it would be highly commendable.
With 86 cores on the Intel Granite Rapids-WS generation, it is sufficient to compete with AMD as the company prepares to launch the Threadripper 7000 CPU this year with 96 core SKU. Despite being dimmer in core count, Intel still holds significant advantages in performance and IPC features.
The battle between Intel and AMD intensifies as both companies push the boundaries of processor technology, promising consumers more power and innovation than ever before.
However, as of now, everything remains speculation, shedding light on Intel's plans to stay abreast of the server and workstation market. It's yet uncertain whether Intel's product lines are adhering to the outlined roadmap or if they continue to face delays akin to the Sapphire Rapids generation.
