Intel launches its brand new Xeon CPU MAX 'Sapphire Rapids HBM' & Xeon GPU MAX 'Ponte Vecchio' chips for data center and enterprise segments.

Intel Goes Chiplet-Crazy With MAX CPU & GPU Series: Xeon CPU MAX 'Sapphire Rapids HBM' & Xeon GPU MAX 'Ponte Vecchio' For Servers

Today, Intel finally enters the data center and enterprise segment with its own multi-tile aka chiplet products codenamed Xeon MAX. The first two products in this brand new family are the Xeon CPU MAX series which are Sapphire Rapids processors with HBM technology while the other product is the Xeon GPU MAX series based on the Ponte Vecchio design which goes crazy with the chiplet-era architecture.

The Xeon CPU Max Series is the first and only x86-based processor with high bandwidth memory, accelerating many HPC workloads without the need for code changes. The Intel Data Center GPU Max Series is Intel’s highest-density processor and will be available in several form factors that address different customer needs.

The Xeon CPU Max Series offers 64 gigabytes of high bandwidth memory (HBM2e) on the package, significantly increasing data throughput for HPC and AI workloads. Compared with top-end 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, the Xeon CPU Max Series provides up to 3.7 times10 more performance on a range of real-world applications like energy and earth systems modeling.

Further, the Data Center GPU Max Series packs over 100 billion transistors into a 47-tile package, bringing new levels of throughput to challenging workloads like physics, financial services and life sciences. When paired with the Xeon CPU Max Series, the combined platform achieves up to 12.8 times greater performance than the prior generation when running the LAMMPS molecular dynamics simulator.

via Intel

Intel Xeon MAX CPUs "Sapphire Rapids With HBM"

Starting with the Intel Xeon CPU MAX series, the Xeon CPU MAX series will house up to four HBM packages, all offering significantly higher DRAM bandwidth versus a baseline Sapphire Rapids-SP Xeon CPU with 8-channel DDR5 memory. This is going to allow Intel to offer a chip with both increased capacity and bandwidth for customers that demand it. The HBM SKUs can be used in two modes, an HBM Flat mode & an HBM caching mode.

On Jan. 10, 2023, Intel introduced the Intel Xeon CPU Max Series for high-performance computing and artificial intelligence. The Xeon CPU Max Series, is the first and only x86-based processor with high bandwidth memory, accelerating many HPC workloads without the need for any code changes. (Credit: Intel Corporation)

The standard Sapphire Rapids-SP Xeon chip will feature 10 EMIB interconnects and the entire package will measure at a mighty 4446mm2. Moving over to the HBM variant, we are getting an increased number of interconnects which sit at 14 and are needed to interconnect the HBM2E memory to the cores.

The four HBM2E memory packages will feature 8-Hi stacks so Intel is going for at least 16 GB of HBM2E memory per stack for a total of 64 GB across the Sapphire Rapids-SP package. Talking about the package, the HBM variant will measure at an insane 5700mm2 or 28% larger than the standard variant. Compared to the recently leaked EPYC Genoa numbers, the HBM2E package for Sapphire Rapids-SP would end up 5% larger while the standard package will be 22% smaller.

Intel Sapphire Rapids-SP Xeon (Standard Package) -4446mm2Intel Sapphire Rapids-SP Xeon (HBM2E Package) -5700mm2AMD EPYC Genoa (12 CCD Package) -5428mm2

It is also mentioned that the Intel Sapphire Rapids Xeon Max CPUs will feature up to 80 PCIe Gen 5.0 / 4.0 lanes, support for 8-channel DDR5-4800 memory, up to 4 UPI & 16 GTs lanes & an x8 DMI PCIe 3.0 interface. There are at least five SKUs launching today which include:

Xeon Platinum 9480 - 56 Core (1.9 / 2.6 GHz) - $12980 USXeon Platinum 9470 - 52 Core (2.0 / 2.7 GHz) - $11590 USXeon Platinum 9468 - 48 Core (2.1 / 2.6 GHz) - $9900 USXeon Platinum 9460 - 40 Core (2.2 / 2.7 GHz) - $8750 USXeon Platinum 9462 - 32 Core (2.7 / 3.1 GHz) - $7995 US

Intel 4th Gen Sapphire Rapids Xeon Max Series CPUs