Intel’s Granite Rapids Challenges AMD’s Epyc Turin, Unveils 128 Cores at 500W, Sierra Forest with 288

Intel's upcoming Xeon Granite Rapids processors aim to challenge AMD at every price point and core count, with up to 128 cores and 768MB of L3 cache, marking the return of the "Accelerated Performance" branding and signaling a heated competition in the server processor market.

Increased core count up to 128 cores
Improved performance compared to previous products
Competition driving innovation in the data center industry

Intel is gearing up to take on AMD with its upcoming Xeon Granite Rapids processors. With the Granite Rapids-AP lineup, Intel aims to challenge AMD at every price point and core count. This marks the return of the “Accelerated Performance (AP)” branding, which was first introduced with Cascade Lake.

The Granite Rapids-AP processors will feature up to 128 cores based on the Redwood Cove “P” architecture. This is a significant improvement compared to Intel’s previous products, as it catches up to AMD’s EPYC processors for the first time. To achieve this, Intel plans to increase the die counts, reducing manufacturing complexity and production costs. The L3 cache is expected to reach 768MB, and the TDP will be 500W. These chips will utilize the LGA7592 socket and carry the Xeon 6 69xxP branding.

On the other hand, the top-end Granite Rapids-SP part will come with 56 cores and 112 threads, supported by 288MB of L3 cache. Its base clock speed will range from 1.5GHz to 2.60GHz, with a TDP of 350W. The Xeon-SP lineup will utilize the LGA4710 socket and the Beechnut platform. The Sierra Forest-SP and AP variants will also use these sockets, with the former offering up to 144 cores and 108MB of L3 cache, while the latter doubles it to 288 cores and 216MB of L3 cache. These core increases will be achieved by doubling the compute dies. The power budget for these chips will start at 250W for Sierra Forest-SP and go up to 500W for AP.

The Sierra Forest lineup will leverage the Sierra Glen core architecture, which is a cloud-optimized variant of Crestmont. The SP SKUs will carry the Xeon 6 67xxE branding. The Sierra Forest processors are expected to be released later this year, while the Granite Rapids-AP processors are slated for a 2025 launch.

Intel’s Granite Rapids processors are a clear indication that the competition between Intel and AMD in the server processor market is heating up. With the Granite Rapids-AP lineup, Intel aims to close the core count gap with AMD’s Epyc processors, offering up to 128 cores for the first time. This move will provide customers with more options and drive innovation in the data center industry.

It will be interesting to see how these new processors perform in real-world scenarios and how they stack up against AMD’s products. As the battle for server processor dominance continues, customers can expect more powerful and efficient processors that will drive advancements in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other data-intensive applications.

About Our Team

Our team comprises industry insiders with extensive experience in computers, semiconductors, games, and consumer electronics. With decades of collective experience, we’re committed to delivering timely, accurate, and engaging news content to our readers.

Background Information

About AMD: AMD, a large player in the semiconductor industry is known for its powerful processors and graphic solutions, AMD has consistently pushed the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and user experience. With a customer-centric approach, the company has cultivated a reputation for delivering high-performance solutions that cater to the needs of gamers, professionals, and general users. AMD's Ryzen series of processors have redefined the landscape of desktop and laptop computing, offering impressive multi-core performance and competitive pricing that has challenged the dominance of its competitors. Complementing its processor expertise, AMD's Radeon graphics cards have also earned accolades for their efficiency and exceptional graphical capabilities, making them a favored choice among gamers and content creators. The company's commitment to innovation and technology continues to shape the client computing landscape, providing users with powerful tools to fuel their digital endeavors.

About Intel: Intel Corporation, a global technology leader, is for its semiconductor innovations that power computing and communication devices worldwide. As a pioneer in microprocessor technology, Intel has left an indelible mark on the evolution of computing with its processors that drive everything from PCs to data centers and beyond. With a history of advancements, Intel's relentless pursuit of innovation continues to shape the digital landscape, offering solutions that empower businesses and individuals to achieve new levels of productivity and connectivity.

Technology Explained

EPYC: EPYC is a technology designed by computer chip manufacturer AMD for use in the server and data center industry. It was introduced in June 2017 and features an innovative design to improve performance and power efficiency. EPYC processor technology is based on an innovative 14nm processor architecture, allowing up to 32 high-performance cores in a single socket. This allows for more efficient processing power, increased memory bandwidth, and greater compute density. EPYC is now widely used in the data center and cloud computing industry and provides benefits such as greater scalability, increased resource efficiency, and advanced virtualization capabilities. Additionally, EPYC technology is used in data intensive servers like server farms, gaming, and virtualization platforms. EPYC ensures that even with large deployments in multi-processor environments, power consumption and performance levels are optimized to ensure maximum efficiency.

L3 cache: L3 cache is a type of computer memory that is used to store frequently used data and instructions. It is located between the processor and main memory, and is used to reduce the amount of time it takes for the processor to access data from main memory. This helps to improve the overall performance of the computer. In the computer industry, L3 cache is used in many applications, such as gaming, video editing, and web browsing. It can also be used to improve the performance of servers and other high-performance computing tasks. By providing faster access to data, L3 cache can help to reduce the amount of time it takes for a computer to complete a task.

Xeon: The Intel Xeon processor is a powerful and reliable processor used in many computer systems. It is a multi-core processor that is designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. It is used in servers, workstations, and high-end desktop computers. It is also used in many embedded systems, such as routers and switches. The Xeon processor is known for its high performance and scalability, making it a popular choice for many computer applications. It is also used in many cloud computing applications, as it is capable of handling large amounts of data and providing high levels of performance. The Xeon processor is also used in many scientific and engineering applications, as it is capable of handling complex calculations and simulations.