The latest reveal of Intel’s cutting-edge Granite Rapids “Xeon 6900” CPUs has stirred quite the buzz, particularly with its high-end variant priced at a staggering $17,800. This flagship model, boasting 128 performance cores, promises an unprecedented 90% performance boost over its 5th-generation predecessors. Just unveiled, these powerhouse CPUs are all set to redefine efficiency and capability within the data center space.
The Granite Rapids series offers an impressive range, featuring four robust models with core counts ranging from 72 to a mighty 128. Intel has doubled down on performance, drastically enhancing specifications from the previous generation. This leap is particularly evident in the Xeon 6980P, which doubles both cores and threads compared to its predecessor, now includes a massive 504 MB of cache, and operates with a TDP of 500W.
For those curious about the cost, Intel has set the following recommended prices: the Xeon 6952P at $11,400, the Xeon 6960P at $13,750, the Xeon 6972P at $14,600, and leading the lineup, the Xeon 6980P at $17,800. Such pricing marks a significant step up from the last generation’s flagship, the Xeon 8593Q, which was priced at $12,400 and offered 64 cores and 128 threads.
In terms of artificial intelligence capabilities, the Granite Rapids series is said to deliver impressive results. The flagship Xeon 6980P reportedly achieves up to 1.9 times greater performance in AI inference according to Intel’s testing, presenting a formidable challenge to AMD’s forthcoming EPYC Turin processors. With the competition heating up, Intel claims its new series can outperform AMD’s existing EPYC offerings by being up to 5.5 times faster in AI inferencing and up to 2.1 times swifter in high-performance computing (HPC) tasks.
While these raw benchmarks project an exciting competitive edge for Intel, the ultimate deciding factor in the battle against AMD’s EPYC will lie in the price-to-performance ratio. It’s key to note that actual consumer prices for the Xeon 6900P series might vary from Intel’s recommended figures once these processors hit the market.
As the showdown in the data center continues to intensify, the Granite Rapids “Xeon 6900” series stands poised to make a significant mark, propelling innovation and challenging competitors at every corner. Whether Intel’s latest offerings will seize control of the market remains to be seen, but their enhanced capabilities and aggressive pricing strategy certainly make them a noteworthy contender in the current landscape.
