Granite Rapids

6th generation Xeon x86 server processors designed by Intel, released in 2024 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Granite Rapids is the codename for 6th generation Xeon Scalable server processors designed by Intel, launched on 24 September 2024.[1][2] Featuring up to 128 P-cores, Granite Rapids is designed for high performance computing applications. The platform equivalent Sierra Forest processors with up to 288 E-cores launched in June 2024 before Granite Rapids.

LaunchedSeptember 24, 2024; 17 months ago (2024-09-24)[1][2]
Designed byIntel
Manufactured by
Fabrication process
Quick facts Launched, Designed by ...
Granite Rapids
LaunchedSeptember 24, 2024; 17 months ago (2024-09-24)[1][2]
Designed byIntel
Manufactured by
Fabrication process
Platform(s)
  • Server

Branding
Brand name(s)Xeon
GenerationXeon 6
Socket(s)

Instructions and architecture
Instructions setx86
Instructionsx86-64
Extensions
P-core architectureRedwood Cove

Cores
L1 cache112 KB (per core):
  • 64 KB instructions
  • 48 KB data
L2 cache2 MB (per core)
L3 cache3 MB (per core)

Memory support
TypeDDR5
Memory channels12 channels

I/O
PCIe supportPCIe 5.0
PCIe lanes136 PCIe 5.0 lanes
CXL supportCXL 2.0
UPI links0-6

History
PredecessorEmerald Rapids
VariantSierra Forest
SuccessorDiamond Rapids
Close

Background

On February 17, 2022, Intel announced that upcoming Xeon generations would be split into two tracks for those with P-cores exclusively and E-cores exclusively.[3] These two tracks are intended to serve different market segments with P-core Xeon processors targeting high performance computing while E-core Xeon processors target cloud customers who prioritize greater core density, energy efficiency and performance in heavily multi-threaded workloads over strong single-threaded usage.[4]

On January 10, 2023, Intel released its 4th generation Xeon processors codenamed Sapphire Rapids. Sapphire Rapids was the first server processors by Intel to use a disaggregated MCM approach and included in-silicon accelerators. Sapphire Rapids launched late and topped out at 60 cores, far behind AMD's 96 cores offered in its EPYC 9654 processor.[5] 5th generation Emerald Rapids processors quickly followed Sapphire Rapids with a launch on December 14, 2023.[6] Emerald Rapids is socket-compatible with existing Sapphire Rapids systems and brought significantly increased L3 cache and pushed the maximum core count from 60 to 64.[7]

On August 28, 2023, Intel shared details on the architecture behind Granite Rapids and Sierra Forest in a presentation at the annual Hot Chips conference.[8] On September 6, 2023, Intel released a video on its packaging techniques which showed a Granite Rapids package with five dies on a single substrate.[9][10]

Branding

Intel Xeon branding
Xeon Scalable (2020–2023)
Xeon 6 (2024)

During Intel's Vision event in April 2024, new branding for Xeon processors was unveiled.[11] The Xeon Scalable branding that was introduced in 2017 would be retired in favor of a simplified "Xeon 6" brand for 6th generation Xeon processors.[12] This change brings greater emphasis on processor generation numbers.[13] The badge for the Xeon brand was changed to be more visually in line with the badge design used for Intel's Core Ultra processors since 2023.

Architecture

Granite Rapids processors are x86 server processors based on Intel's Redwood Cove P-core architecture.

Packaging

Granite Rapids dies are connected using Intel's Embedded Multi-die Interconnect Bridge (EMIB) packaging technique which is Intel's alternative to TSMC's Infinity Fan-Out (InFO) packaging technique.[14] Rather than use a traditional silicon interposer, EMIB embeds a silicon bridge within an organic substrate to connect multiple dies. EMIB bridges act as a high-bandwidth, low-latency, and low-power solution for die-to-die communication.[15] In contrast, a traditional interposer would be much larger in area and would instead be placed on top of the substrate with dies on top of the interposer. An interposer to connect all five dies in Granite Rapids processors would be prohibitively large. Intel previously used a much smaller interposer with Meteor Lake's Foveros base tile.[16]

Compute tile

The compute tile in Granite Rapids contains cores, cache and DDR5 memory controllers. A single compute tile houses up to 44 Redwood Cove P-cores, though some cores are disabled for redundance and yield reasons. Redwood Cove cores were first introduced in Meteor Lake mobile processors. For Granite Rapids, Redwood Cove has undergone a minor node shrink from Intel 4 to Intel 3. Compared to the Raptor Cove cores in Emerald Rapids, Redwood Cove brings increased L1 cache to 112KB per core with a 16-way 64KB L1 instructions cache that is doubled from Raptor Cove's 32KB instructions cache while retaining the same 2MB of L2 cache per core. Furthermore, Redwood Cove's new Matrix Engine allows for AMX FP16 acceleration that benefits AI inference workloads. Unlike Sierra Forest, the Redwood Cove cores in Granite Rapids are able to issue AVX-512 and newly added AVX-512-FP16 instructions.

More information Segment, Cores (threads) ...
Granite Rapids compute tile dies
Segment Cores
(threads)		 Memory channels
(per die)		 Die size Ref.
LCC 16 (32) 8-channels
MCC 48 (96) 8-channels
XCC 44 (88) 4-channels ~598 mm2 [17]
Close

Memory controllers

A compute tile also contains DDR5 memory controllers that natively support DDR5-6400. Each XCC compute tile provides four channels of DDR5 for a total of 12 memory channels across three compute tiles.[18] This provides flexibility as SKUs with eight memory channels can be created by using two XCC compute tiles instead of three or with a single MCC compute tile. SKUs with four memory channels can use only one XCC compute tile. Lower core count Granite Rapids SKUs use monolithic LCC and MCC dies that both have an 8 channel memory controller.

Additionally, Granite Rapids adds support for Multiplexer Combined Ranks (MCR) memory DIMMs.[19] MCR DIMMs were designed to provide higher capacities and increased memory bandwidth to high core count server processors compared to regular DDR5 RDIMMs rather than adding more DIMM slots to server motherboards due to physical space constraints.[20] For example, a dual socket AMD EPYC "Genoa" system with 48 total DIMM slots (24 per socket) serving 12 memory channels cannot fit within a standard 19 inch server motherboard form factor.[20] This configuration may add over 5 inches to a server motherboard so it is instead more common to have 24 total DIMM slots (12 per socket) to stay within the 19 inch motherboard standard.[20] MCR memory is able to use both 64-byte ranks simultaneously with a data buffer that compiles the 64-byte data from each rank into one piece of 128-byte data to the CPU.[21] Granite Rapids can support up to DDR5-8800 across 12 memory channels.[22] On April 17, 2024, JEDEC released its updated JESD79-5C DDR5 SDRAM standard that seeks to improve reliability for high-performance servers running highly clocked DDR5 memory. This is addressed through expanded timing parameters and Per-Row Activation Counting (PRAC) to improve data integrity.[23]

I/O

I/O in Granite Rapids processors is provided by two dies fabricated on the more mature Intel 7 process.[14] It has an estimated die area of 241 mm2.[17] The same I/O tiles in Granite Rapids can be shared with Sierra Forest E-core processors. The I/O tiles provide 136 PCIe 5.0 lanes, an increase from Emerald Rapid's 128 lanes. These 136 PCIe 5.0 lanes support CXL 2.0 Type 3 and up to 6 UPI links.[24] The previous generation Emerald Rapids supported CXL 1.1 Type 1 and Type 2.[7] Granite Rapids is able to function as an SoC with self-booting capabilities without requiring a link to an external PCH. This brings Granite Rapids in line with AMD's EPYC processors that can function as SoCs.[25]

List of Granite Rapids processors

Granite Rapids-SP

Granite Rapids-SP (Scalable Performance) uses the Beechnut City platform with the smaller LGA 4710 socket, targeted towards mainstream server. It is a direct successor to Sapphire Rapids-SP and Emerald Rapids-SP that used the similarly sized LGA 4677 socket. Granite Rapids-SP features up to 86 cores and 8-channel DDR5 memory support. TDPs up to 350W are supported on Beechnut City platform.

Scalability refers to maximum sockets supported by the CPU.

More information Model number, Cores (threads) ...
Model
number		 Cores
(threads)		 Base
clock		 Turbo Boost Smart
Cache		 TDP Maxi-
mum
scala-
bility		 Registered
DDR5
w. ECC
support		 UPI
links		 Release
MSRP
(USD)
All
core		 Max
Intel Xeon 6700/6500 P-core Mainline & Scalable SKUs
6788P 86 (172) 2.0 GHz 3.2 GHz 3.8 GHz 336 MB 350 W 8S 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)
 4 $19,000
6768P 64 (128) 2.4 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz 330 W $16,000
6738P 32 (64) 2.9 GHz 4.1 GHz 4.2 GHz 144 MB 270 W $6,540
6728P 24 (48) 2.7 GHz 3.9 GHz 4.1 GHz 210 W $2,478
6724P 16 (32) 3.6 GHz 4.2 GHz 4.3 GHz 72 MB 3 $3,622
6714P 8 (16) 4.0 GHz 4.3 GHz 4.3 GHz 48 MB 165 W $2,816
6760P 64 (128) 2.2 GHz 3.4 GHz 3.8 GHz 320 MB 330 W 2S 4 $7,803
6748P 48 (96) 2.5 GHz 3.8 GHz 4.1 GHz 192 MB 300 W
6740P 48 (96) 2.1 GHz 3.3 GHz 3.8 GHz 288 MB 270 W $4,650
6530P 32 (64) 2.3 GHz 3.7 GHz 4.1 GHz 144 MB 225 W $2,234
6520P 24 (48) 2.4 GHz 3.4 GHz 4.0 GHz 210 W $1,295
6515P 16 (32) 2.3 GHz 3.8 GHz 3.8 GHz 72 MB 150 W 3 $740
6505P 12 (24) 2.2 GHz 3.9 GHz 4.1 GHz 48 MB $563
Intel Xeon 6700/6500 P-core Performance SKUs
6787P 86 (172) 2.0 GHz 3.2 GHz 3.8 GHz 336 MB 350 W 2S 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)
MRDIMM
(8000 MT/s)		 4 $10,400
6776P 64 (128) 2.3 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz
6767P 64 (128) 2.4 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz $9,595
6762P 64 (128) 2.9 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz 320 MB $12,350
6747P 48 (96) 2.7 GHz 3.8 GHz 3.9 GHz 288 MB $6,497
6745P 32 (64) 3.1 GHz 4.1 GHz 4.3 GHz 336 MB 300 W $5,250
6737P 32 (64) 2.9 GHz 4.0 GHz 4.0 GHz 144 MB 270 W $4,995
6736P 36 (72) 2.0 GHz 3.4 GHz 4.1 GHz 205 W 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)
 $3,351
6732P 32 (64) 3.8 GHz 4.2 GHz 4.3 GHz 350 W $5,295
6730P 32 (64) 2.5 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.8 GHz 288 MB 250 W $3,726
6527P 24 (48) 3.0 GHz 4.2 GHz 4.2 GHz 144 MB 250 W $2,872
6517P 16 (32) 3.2 GHz 4.0 GHz 4.2 GHz 72 MB 190 W 3 $1,195
6507P 8 (16) 3.5 GHz 4.3 GHz 4.3 GHz 48 MB 150 W $765
Intel Xeon 6700/6500 P-core 1 Socket (1S) SKUs
6781P 80 (160) 2.0 GHz 3.2 GHz 3.8 GHz 336 MB 350 W 1S 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)
MRDIMM
(8000 MT/s)		 0 $8,960
6774P 64 (128) 2.5 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz
6761P 64 (128) 2.5 GHz 3.6 GHz 3.9 GHz $6,570
6741P 48 (96) 2.5 GHz 3.7 GHz 3.8 GHz 288 MB 300 W 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)		 $4,421
6731P 32 (64) 2.5 GHz 3.9 GHz 4.1 GHz 144 MB 245 W $2,700
6521P 24 (48) 2.6 GHz 4.1 GHz 4.1 GHz 225 W $1,250
6511P 16 (32) 2.3 GHz 4.1 GHz 4.2 GHz 72 MB 150 W $815
Close

Granite Rapids-AP

Granite Rapids-AP (Advanced Performance) uses the Avenue City platform with the larger LGA 7529 socket. With the larger socket, Granite Rapids-AP SKUs reach higher core counts up to 128 and support up to 192 lanes of PCIe 5.0 for two-socket servers (options of up to 136 lanes for one-socket server) and also 12-channel DDR5 memory (Up to 3 TB (1 DIMM per channel (6400 MT/s)) while using 256GB memory modules). Increased TDPs up to 550W are supported on Avenue City platform.[26] Granite Rapids is the first time that Intel has used the Advanced Performance moniker since the release of Cascade Lake in April 2019.[18]

More information Model number, Cores (threads) ...
Model
number		 Cores
(threads)		 Base
clock		 Turbo Boost Smart
Cache		 TDP Maxi-
mum
scala-
bility		 Registered
DDR5
w. ECC
support		 UPI
links		 Release
MSRP
(USD)
All
core		 Max
6980P 128 (256) 2.0 GHz 3.2 GHz 3.9 GHz 504 MB 500 W 2S DDR5
6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
MRDIMM
(8800 MT/s)		 6 $17,800
6979P 120 (240) 2.1 GHz $15,750
6972P 96 (192) 2.4 GHz 3.5 GHz 480 MB $14,600
6966P-C 96 (192) 3.1 GHz 3.6 GHz 432 MB 550 W
6962P 72 (144) 2.7 GHz 3.9 GHz 500 W $9,925
6960P 72 (144) 2.7 GHz 3.8 GHz 500 W $13,750
6952P 96 (192) 2.1 GHz 3.2 GHz 480 MB 400 W $11,400
6944P 72 (144) 1.8 GHz 3.1 GHz 432 MB 350 W DDR5
6400 MT/s (1 DPC)		 $6,850
Close

Granite Rapids-D

Granite Rapids-D processors are due to be released in 2025 as the successor to 2021's Ice Lake-D processors.[27] Granite Rapids-D is targeted at edge computing and networking with lower power consumption and integrated I/O and accelerators.[28] Granite Rapids-D offers doubled vRAN (Virtual Radio Access Network) processing capacity and leverages Advanced Vector Extensions and integrated vRAN Boost acceleration for 5G networking.[29] Intel announced at MWC Barcelona in February 2024 that Granite Rapids-D silicon was already sampling to customers.[27] Granite Rapids-D uses BGA 4368 (4-channel DDR5 memory) or BGA 5026 (8-channel DDR5 memory) socket with up to 32 lanes of PCIe 5.0 and up to 16 lanes of PCIe 4.0.

More information Model number, Cores (threads) ...
Model
number		 Cores
(threads)		 Base
clock		 Turbo Boost Smart
Cache		 TDP Maxi-
mum
scala-
bility		 Registered
DDR5
w. ECC
support		 UPI
links		 Release
MSRP
(USD)
All
core		 Max
BGA 4368 socket
6726P-B 42 (84) 2.3 GHz Unknown 3.5 GHz 168 MB 235 W 1S 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)		 0 $3,795
6716P-B 40 (80) 2.5 GHz 3.5 GHz 160 MB $3,200
6706P-B 40 (80) 2.5 GHz 3.5 GHz $3,200
6563P-B 38 (76) 2.4 GHz 4.0 GHz 152 MB $2,616
6556P-B 36 (72) 2.3 GHz 3.5 GHz 144 MB 215 W $2,628
6553P-B 36 (72) 2.6 GHz 4.0 GHz 235 W $2,402
6546P-B 32 (64) 2.3 GHz 3.5 GHz 128 MB 195 W $2,368
6543P-B 32 (64) 2.0 GHz 3.3 GHz 160 W 5600 MT/s (1 DPC) $2,206
6533P-B 32 (64) 2.2 GHz 3.9 GHz 205 W $1,795
6523P-B 24 (48) 2.5 GHz 3.9 GHz 96 MB 175 W $1,450
6516P-B 20 (40) 2.3 GHz 3.5 GHz 80 MB 145 W 4800 MT/s (1 DPC) $1,544
6513P-B 20 (40) 2.0 GHz 3.3 GHz 130 W 5600 MT/s (1 DPC) $1,399
6503P-B 12 (24) 2.0 GHz 3.5 GHz 48 MB 110 W 4800 MT/s (1 DPC) $934
BGA 5026 socket
6776P-B 72 (144) 2.3 GHz 2.9 GHz 3.5 GHz 288 MB 325 W 1S 6400 MT/s (1 DPC)
5200 MT/s (2 DPC)		 0 $5,040
6768P-B 64 (128) 2.2 GHz 3.3 GHz 3.5 GHz 256 MB $4,200
6766P-B 64 (128) 2.3 GHz 2.9 GHz 3.5 GHz 305 W $4,200
6756P-B 64 (128) 2.2 GHz 3.3 GHz 3.5 GHz 325 W $3,990
6718P-B 40 (80) 2.5 GHz Unknown 3.5 GHz 160 MB 235 W
6548P-B 32 (64) 2.0 GHz 3.5 GHz 128 MB 195 W
6544P-B 32 (64) 2.0 GHz 3.3 GHz 170 W 5600 MT/s (1 DPC)
6532P-B 32 (64) 2.2 GHz 3.9 GHz 205 W
6518P-B 20 (40) 2.0 GHz 3.5 GHz 80 MB 150 W 4800 MT/s (1 DPC)
Close

Granite Rapids-WS (for workstations)

Intel announced in February 2, 2026 that Granite Rapids-WS (for workstations) on LGA 4710 socket.[30]

More information Model number, Cores (threads) ...
Model
number		 Cores
(threads)		 Base
clock		 Turbo Boost Smart
Cache		 TDP Registered
DDR5
w. ECC
support		 PCI Express 5.0
lanes		 Release
MSRP
(USD)
All
core		 Max
698X 86 (172) 2.0 GHz 3.0 GHz 4.8 GHz 336 MB 350 W 8-channel
6400 MT/s
MRDIMM
(8000 MT/s)
4 TB		 128 $7699
696X 64 (128) 2.4 GHz 3.5 GHz $5599
678X 48 (96) 3.8 GHz 4.9 GHz 192 MB 300 W $3749
676X 32 (64) 2.8 GHz 4.3 GHz 144 MB 275 W $2499
674X 28 (56) 3.0 GHz 270 W $2199
658X 24 (48) 250 W 8-channel
6400 MT/s
4 TB		 $1699
656 20 (40) 2.9 GHz 4.5 GHz 4.8 GHz 72 MB 210 W $1399
654 18 (36) 3.1 GHz 200 W $1199
638 16 (32) 3.2 GHz 180 W 4-channel
6400 MT/s
2 TB		 80 $899
636 12 (24) 3.5 GHz 4.7 GHz 48 MB 170 W $639
634 12 (24) 2.7 GHz 3.9 GHz 4.6 GHz 150 W $499
Close

See also

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI