Intel has detailed its next generation Xeon processors: 240 percent performance increase!

Intel announced in a statement that a new line of data center processors to be released next year will significantly reduce energy consumption and offer 240 percent better performance per watt. The firm is gearing up to launch its next-generation Xeon Data Center family, which includes Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest focused on modularity, next year.

Intel’s Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest detailed

The data centers that power the Internet and online services consume large amounts of electricity, and tech firms are facing increasing pressure to keep or reduce the amount of energy they use. In this context, Intel announced that the Sierra Forest chip will have 240% better performance per watt than the current generation data center chip. As part of HotChips 2023, for the first time, Intel divides data center processors into two categories: the “Granite Rapids” series, which focus on performance (P-Core) but consume more power, and the “Sierra Forest” series, which is more efficient (E-Core).

Although Intel puts both CPU families in separate categories, they will use a common platform and software foundation. Therefore, both of them will be able to work in harmony with each other on the same platforms. Touching on the modularity aspects of the next-generation SoC architecture, Intel details how Xeon CPUs, particularly Granite Rapids, will have separate processing and IO silicon chips. These chipsets will be connected to each other on the same packet using the EmiB structure, which offers high-bandwidth and low-latency lines.

Speaking of platform, Intel Granite Rapids-SP Xeon CPUs will scale up to 1S and 8S platforms, while Sierra Forest chips will scale up to 1S and 2S solutions. Both CPUs will have a range of models with variable core counts and thermal targets. The next-generation Xeon CPU platform will also support up to 12 channels of DDR/MCR (1-2DPC) memory, up to 136 PCIe Gen 5 lanes (CXL 2.0) with 6 UPI connections.

Compute die on Intel Xeon Granite Rapids chips will target higher performance and efficiency using the latest Intel 3 compute node. Intel Xeon Sierra Forest will aim to provide best-in-class energy-performance density, offering distinct advantages for cloud-native and hyperscale workloads. According to Intel, this series will offer 2.4 times higher performance per watt. However, P-Core (Granite Rapids) Intel Xeon processors will provide 2-3x better performance for mixed AI workloads.

According to the current roadmap, Intel’s 5th Gen Emerald Rapids Xeon CPUs will launch in Q4 2023, followed by Sierra Forest in the first half of 2024. Then, the P-Core supported Granite Rapids family will continue to follow.