Over the previous few years, with the rise of generative AI, information facilities have develop into probably the most essential elements of the tech stack – and who makes the chips that powers these behemoths is up for grabs.
At Computex 2024, Intel introduced a number of updates to its chips for information middle and AI workloads with the launch of its Xeon 6 processors.
Intel took the wraps off Xeon 6 again in April 2024, and made a lot of the Xeon Scalable title, which carries the entire implications that these chips simply get increasingly highly effective primarily based on the context and what an organization wants.
The nitty gritty
The corporate could be very a lot pitching its chip choices at main OEMs and organizations, notably these with “ageing information middle techniques”, claiming the brand new Xeon 6 chips will provide extra energy effectivity whereas maximising ground and rack area.
Of the Xeon household of chips, the primary to debut is the Intel Xeon 6 E-core (code-named Sierra Forest), which can be found now, after which the Xeon 6 P-cores (code-named Granite Rapids) are anticipated to launch within the subsequent quarter.
Because the E-core and P-core names indicate, every is concentrated on effectivity and efficiency, respectively. In fact, that does not imply the E-core chips are a slouch – these will run rings round most different chips on the market proper now.
Based on Intel’s truth sheet, there’s so much to love concerning the Xeon 6 processors. For instance, the 6700 collection provides as much as 1.4x extra reminiscence bandwidth and an as much as 1.1x enhance out and in bandwidth over fifth Gen Xeon fashions. The extra highly effective 6900, in the meantime, has as much as 1.8x higher inter-socket bandwidth over fifth Gen Xeon.
This may look like a bit phrase salad-y, however to these operating information facilities, it is music to their ears: higher efficiency whereas utilizing much less energy.
By way of the uncooked tech specs, the Xeon 6 6700 collection have as much as 144 Environment friendly-cores alongside 86 Efficiency-cores, whereas the 6900 collection has as much as 288 Environment friendly-cores and 128 Efficiency-cores. VentureBeat has an excellent breakdown of the remaining.
Intel on prime
It isn’t secret that Intel has been struggling for years, throughout each desktop/laptop computer chip and high-performance chips. Apple’s shift in the direction of its far-superior A- and M-series chips inside the newest MacBooks, iPhones, iPads, and iMacs has significantly dented its standing inside the business.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has got down to reverse Intel’s waning fortunes, and even took a direct shot at Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang throughout his Computex keynote speech.
On the top-end entrance, Nvidia has completely dominated the previous couple of years, rising to a unbelievable $2.8 trillion market cap in latest weeks off the again of robust Q1 earnings that confirmed a ridiculous 262% YoY soar in its income to over $26 billion off the again of its AI chip gross sales and dominance.
Aside from Apple and Nvidia, AMD can be difficult for extra of Intel’s dinner. Based on IoT Analytics, Nvidia has a loopy 90%+ market share of the AI chip business, leaving AMD and Intel to scrap for the remaining.
