News Intel launches Xeon W-2500 and W-2600 processors for workstations: Up to 60 cores

[Admin]

Intel's Xeon W 'Sapphire Rapids Refresh' CPUs for workstations are here with up to 60 cores, but at up to 385W.

Intel launches Xeon W-2500 and W-2600 processors for workstations: Up to 60 cores : Read more

 

[bit_user]

Intel launches Xeon W-2500 and W-2600 processors for workstations: Up to 60 cores

The underlined part should be W-3500.

 

[JRStern]

Well gosh, mention that these are still hyperthreaded so you get 120 threads with your 60 cores.
And look at the base frequency, that slows way down for the 60 core model.
Are these still all air-cooled?

 

[Amdlova]

At this TDP will be WC.

 

[bit_user]

Are these still all air-cooled?

Some of the lower-TDP models can definitely be air-cooled. I've seen benchmarks where this cooler has been used for up to 300 W.

https://noctua.at/en/nh-u14s-dx-4677
​

Air cooling these large CPUs is a little easier than a desktop CPU of comparable wattage, due to their larger heatspreader area.

 

[TheSecondPower]

Why is there a Sapphire Rapids Refresh when Emerald Rapids exists?

 

[bit_user]

Why is there a Sapphire Rapids Refresh when Emerald Rapids exists

Good question. Some of us have wondered, as well. I have yet to find an answer.

One point of interest is that the P-cores in Sapphire Rapids are a little more like the ones in Raptor Lake. So, there might be less upside to doing that.

Another point of interest is that some of Emerald Rapids' gains come from reducing the number of dies (or, specifically, cross-die communication links). However, at least the lower-end Xeon W 2400 processors use a monolithic die, so the benefit of respinning those would be less. That still leaves open the question why they didn't use Emerald Rapids dies for the 3500 series...

 

[JRStern]

Why is there a Sapphire Rapids Refresh when Emerald Rapids exists?

It's a good question but there are always issues of slightly different behaviors, yields, costs, coding, motherboards, BIOS, etc. Intel always wants to get back to their tick-tock, +++ systems.

 

[HideOut]

Well gosh, mention that these are still hyperthreaded so you get 120 threads with your 60 cores.
And look at the base frequency, that slows way down for the 60 core model.
Are these still all air-cooled?

And none of that changed so why would they mention it?

 

[thestryker]

It's still surprising to me that these are launching and exist really. I suppose it must come down to OEM contacts and binning in the end. Though there's of course EMR which scales up to 32c on MCC and 64c on XCC.

The only thing I can think of is that they didn't develop a 4ch memory controller version of EMR though that doesn't explain why the 3500 series isn't EMR. Perhaps it's just a matter of wanting to emphasize scalable with EMR and GNR workstation parts will be coming earlier than expected.

They didn't seem to adjust tray pricing which means they're more expensive than the 24c TR and cheaper than the TR Pro.

 

[endocine]

"but higher-end models are more power hungry than their predecessors."
That really sums up intel lately

 

[JRStern]

And none of that changed so why would they mention it?

We're not all up on every detail, a few reminders always help.