Intel announced the release of their 5th Gen Xeon Scalable server processors, codenamed Emerald Rapids, on December 14th, 2023. This release follows the earlier launch of the 4th Gen Xeon Sapphire Rapids in January, marking a positive sign that Intel is steadily making a comeback.
Looking ahead to 2024-2025, Intel’s plans for Xeon include the Sierra Forest Xeon, slated to be released in the first half of 2024. This version will feature solely E-core processors, with a maximum core count of 288 and a 2-socket configuration. This translates to a 2.5 times increase in CPU density and a 2.4 times improvement in power efficiency compared to the 4th Gen Xeon.
Following Sierra Forest, the Granite Rapids Xeon, also known as the 6th Gen Xeon Scalable, will be launched. This version will exclusively feature P-core processors and is expected to offer approximately 2-3 times better AI performance than the 4th Gen Xeon.
In 2025, the Clearwater Forest Xeon, the second version of the Sierra Forest, will be released. This model will mark the beginning of Intel’s usage of the Intel 18A manufacturing process.
Additionally, Intel has unveiled details about their new AI accelerator chip, Habana Gaudi 3, which will be manufactured using a 5nm process. This chip will offer twice the computational performance, though its release date has not yet been specified. The Habana chip family emerged from Intel’s acquisition of Habana Labs in 2019 and has been increasingly used in larger-scale servers, such as those found in AWS, as a competitive AI processing counterpart to NVIDIA A100/H100.
Furthermore, Intel has announced the development of a large-scale AI supercomputer featuring Xeon processors and the Gaudi 2 accelerator, with primary customer Stability AI.
In conclusion, Intel’s Xeon roadmap for 2024-2025 stays true to their previous announcements. They continue to innovate and push the boundaries, with their Habana Gaudi 3 chip poised to enhance AI processing capabilities.
TLDR: Intel has unveiled their 5th Gen Xeon Scalable server processors, Emerald Rapids, following the launch of Sapphire Rapids. Their future plans include Sierra Forest, Granite Rapids, and Clearwater Forest Xeon models. Intel has also introduced the Habana Gaudi 3 AI accelerator chip and is developing a large-scale AI supercomputer. The company remains committed to advancing AI technology.
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