During this year’s edition of the recently concluded Hot Chips conference, Intel gave a first glimpse of the upcoming Intel Xeon product line. We discover that a new architecture called Efficient-core (E-core) is introduced, along with the already established Performance-core (P-core). The new products, codenamed Sierra Forest and Granite Rapids, offer a state-of-the-art hardware solution and a shared software stack. They are designed to tackle complex workloads, including some downright challenging ones such as those involving artificial intelligence. Lisa Spelman, Intel corporate vice president and general manager of Xeon Products and Solutions, commented.
“We are at a key moment in Xeon’s roadmap, reaching the millionth fourth-generation Xeon processor and launching the fifth generation by the fourth quarter of 2023, codenamed Rapids. Our data center product portfolio for 2024 will be a true benchmark for the entire industry.”
During the Hot Chips 2023 event, Intel held two dedicated sessions to present the technical specifications of the platform’s architecture, as well as provide further details on the fifth-generation Intel Xeon processors that will be launched later this year. In another session, we discussed new features related to Intel Agilex 9 Direct RF Series FPGAs.
The new Intel Xeon platform leverages modular System-on-Chip (SoCs) to provide greater scalability and flexibility, as well as the computing power needed without losing sight of energy efficiency, when it comes to AI, cloud and enterprise deployments. This architecture provides two different processors compatible with the same socket, simplifying interchangeability for any type of workload. Here are the main shared features.
P-core and E-core processors share intellectual property, firmware, and OS software stacks.
The introduction of faster DDR and new MCR (Multiplex Combined Rank) DIMMs with high bandwidth.
The new Intel Flat Memory facilitates data movement between DDR5 and CXL memory, making the entire capacity visible to software.
CXL 2.0 support for all device types, with backward compatibility to CXL 1.1.
Advanced I/O with up to 136 PCIe 5.0/CXL 2.0 channels and up to six UPI links.
INTEL XEON WITH E-CORE
Intel Xeon processors with E-core (Sierra Forest) are designed for optimized processing and even more efficient power density. This translates into significant benefits for cloud-native and hyperscale workloads.
Doubles density per rack and increases performance/power ratio by 2.4x.
Compatible with 1S and 2S servers, up to 144 cores per CPU and TDP limited to 200W.
Advanced instruction sets with high security, virtualization, and AI extensions for AVX.
Reliability, availability, scalability (RAS) of critical memory includes features such as ECC standard machine check and data cache on all Xeon CPUs
INTEL XEON WITH P-CORE
Intel Xeon processors with P-cores (Granite Rapids) are optimized to deliver minimum cost of ownership (TCO) for core-intensive, performance-sensitive, and general-purpose computing workloads. Currently, Xeon processors demonstrate superior performance for AI than any other CPU, and Granite Rapids will lift the bar even further. Integrated accelerators will help further increase the performance and efficiency of specific workloads.
2-3x higher performance for combined AI workloads.
Improved Intel AMX with support for new FP16 instructions.
Large memory bandwidth, increased cores, increased cache for intensive workloads.
Scale from one to eight sockets.
Intel Agilex 9 Direct RF Series FPGAs, featuring integrated 64 Gsps (giga-samples per second) data converters, are a milestone in broadband agility. These devices include both wideband and narrowband receivers in the same multichip package, delivering an unmatched 32 GHz RF band to the broadband receiver.
Intel’s data center product roadmap and launch has been largely established, though without specific dates. We find that fifth-generation Intel Xeon processors (codenamed Emerald Rapids) are currently being sampled by customers, with the launch expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. Intel Xeon processors with E-core (Sierra Forest) will be delivered in the first half of 2024, followed shortly by Intel Xeon processors with P-core (Granite Rap
