Theoretically, Intel can even build a monster CPU with 432 cores, but the manufacturer is not showing its cards yet and is sticking with a 288-core CPU.

At the end of August, Intel introduced Sierra Forest to the general public. You can read our detailed analysis here. Specifically, Sierra Forest is the next new generation Intel Xeon chip alongside Granit Rapids. While the latter focuses on P-cores (performance), Sierra Forest only bundles E-cores (energy efficient).

The Sierra Forest Intel Xeon chips need to have as many cores as possible, especially for cloud workloads where it matters. Intel can accommodate up to 144 E-Cores in one Chiplet Processing with a TDP around 200 watts. There is space for three chiplets on the Granite Rapids Xeon chip. It is therefore not surprising that Intel is presenting the 288-core version of Sierra Forest to the general public today. Both share the same architecture.

In theory, Intel could provide a third chiplet with 144 E-cores, which would result in a monster chip with 432 cores. Whether this will happen remains to be seen. Each additional chiplet increases the need for more memory bandwidth, temperature and TDP.

Intel Emerald Rapids

Sierra Forest and Granite Rapids are the next generation of Xeon chips, which we can only expect at the end of 2024. Before that happens, let’s first welcome Intel Emerald Rapids, the next generation of Xeon chips, which will be officially available on December 14th.

This means that the competitor is finally ready for the fourth generation of AMD Epyc chips, which has been available for a year. AMD recently launched the Siena 8004 variant with a focus on power efficiency. Genoa, Bergamo and Genoa-X followed at the beginning of the year.