Intel has officially confirmed that its upcoming “Diamond Rapids” Xeon server processors will feature an impressive configuration of up to 256 cores. This significant increase in core count was revealed in Intel’s Hot Chips 2026 press materials, highlighting the company’s ambitious roadmap for high-performance computing.
Next-Generation Xeon Architecture Unveiled
The “Diamond Rapids” processors are set to incorporate a suite of Intel’s latest proprietary technologies. This includes the Intel 18A-P process technology, which promises enhanced performance and power efficiency. The chip design will also leverage Foveros Direct 3D packaging and UCIe-S interconnects, signaling a move towards more integrated and advanced chiplet architectures.
Key specifications shared for “Diamond Rapids” include:
- Support for APX and AMX instruction extensions.
- A substantial 28GB of Last-Level Cache (LLC).
- 16 memory channels capable of speeds up to 12800MT/s.
- A massive 128 lanes of PCIe 6.0 / CXL 3.0 connectivity.
Visuals from the announcement clearly depict a chiplet design with compute dies positioned externally and an I/O die at the center. Interconnection between these modules will be facilitated by UCIe via standard packaging, eschewing EMIB in this configuration.
Introducing “Crescent Island” Data Center GPU
In addition to the server CPU advancements, Intel also introduced “Crescent Island,” a new low-power data center GPU specifically engineered to boost token output and deliver greater business value. This GPU is built on the Xe3P architecture and features:
- 32 Xe-cores and 256 XMX engines.
- Support for up to 480GB of LPDDR5X memory.
- A 350W thermal design power (TDP) in a PCIe AIC form factor, supporting air cooling.
The unveiling of “Diamond Rapids” and “Crescent Island” underscores Intel’s commitment to innovation in the data center and AI sectors, with a clear focus on delivering more cores, higher bandwidth, and specialized hardware for demanding workloads.
