Intel Boosts Granite Rapids Xeon CPU Cache Up To 480 MB, 50% Increase Over Emerald Rapids

Intel is bringing big cache uplifts to its next-gen Granite Rapids Xeon CPUs with top variants fitted with up to 480 MB of L3 capacities.

Intel's Next-Gen Xeon CPUs "Granite Rapids" Get 50% L3 Cache Boost Over "Emerald Rapids" Chips

When Intel launched its 5th Gen Emerald Rapids Xeon CPUs last month, they brought a massive 3x uplift in cache capacities, jumping straight from 105 MB to 320 MB L3 cache. But the company will be offering another big improvement in cache capacities with its upcoming 6th Gen Granite Rapids Xeon CPUs which are expected to be released later this year (2H 2024).

According to a recent entry within the SDE 9.33.0 (Software Development Emulator) update, Intel has listed up to 480 MB of L3 cache for its Granite Rapids Xeon CPUs. A 480 MB L3 cache marks a 50% uplift over the Emerald Rapids CPUs which is a big increase and shows that Intel is keeping up with rivals from the AMD camp.

According to #Intel SDE 9.33.0, the L3-cache in #GraniteRapids increases to 480MB which is 1.5 times 320MB of #EmeraldRapids https://t.co/8dQo4RyWZN pic.twitter.com/jJw0zDCsVB

— InstLatX64 (@InstLatX64) January 20, 2024

For comparison, the standard AMD EPYC 9004 CPUs offer up to 384 MB of L3 cache so that's 25% more cache than the existing Zen 4 variants which have been available since early 2023. AMD also offers its Genoa-X 3D V-Cache boosted parts which offer a gargantuan 1152 MB L3 cache and Intel currently has no variants with such high cache capacities that compete with those though the blue team has stated that they plan on embedding 3D stacked cache on future chips. Whether we will see Granite Rapids use that technology remains to be seen but AMD has an edge & has a solution for those customers who prefer going the higher cache route.

Furthermore, Granite Rapids Xeon CPUs will be competing against AMD's EPYC Turin chips based on the Zen 5 core architecture which is planned for release this year. Those are expected to offer even higher cache capacities and will also come in the same 3D V-Cache "X" SKUs. So 480 MB of L3 cache may not be a huge deal by the time AMD releases its offerings.

• Emerald Rapids 64 Core - 320 MB L3 Cache
• Sapphire Rapids 60 Core - 112.5 MB L3 Cache
• AMD EPYC Genoa 96 Core - 384 MB L3 Cache
• AMD EPYC Genoa-X 96 Core - 1152 MB L3 Cache

It seems like Intel might still be playing catch up with AMD who offers more cores in the classic server ecosystem with up to 96 cores and 192 threads whereas its Zen 4C "Bergamo" chips offer 128 cores and 256 threads. Intel's answer to Bergamo comes in the form of Sierra Forest with up to 288 cores and bigger cache count too but the final numbers are still yet to be revealed. Intel looks very positive about its Granite Rapids P-Core and Sierra Forest E-Core Xeon CPU offerings for this year and AMD has a very solid portfolio to extend upon with Zen 5 so it appears that server CPU segments will see very good solutions from both companies in 2024.

Intel Xeon CPU Families (Preliminary):

Family Branding	Coral Rapids	Diamond Rapids	Clearwater Forest	Granite Rapids	Sierra Forest	Emerald Rapids	Sapphire Rapids	Ice Lake-SP	Cooper Lake-SP	Cascade Lake-SP/AP	Skylake-SP
Process Node	Intel 14A?	Intel 18A-P	Intel 18A	Intel 3	Intel 3	Intel 7	Intel 7	10nm+	14nm++	14nm++	14nm+
Platform Name	TBD	Intel Oak Stream	Intel Birch Stream	Intel Birch Stream	Intel Mountain Stream Intel Birch Stream	Intel Eagle Stream	Intel Eagle Stream	Intel Whitley	Intel Cedar Island	Intel Purley	Intel Purley
Core Architecture	TBD	Panther Cove-X	Darkmont	Redwood Cove	Sierra Glen	Raptor Cove	Golden Cove	Sunny Cove	Cascade Lake	Cascade Lake	Skylake
MCP (Multi-Chip Package) SKUs	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No
Socket	TBD	LGA XXXX / 9324	LGA 4710 / 7529	LGA 4710 / 7529	LGA 4710 / 7529	LGA 4677	LGA 4677	LGA 4189	LGA 4189	LGA 3647	LGA 3647
Max Core Count	TBD	Up To 192 P-Cores	Up To 288	Up To 128	Up To 288	Up To 64?	Up To 56	Up To 40	Up To 28	Up To 28	Up To 28
Max Thread Count	TBD	Up To 192	Up To 288	Up To 256	Up To 288	Up To 128	Up To 112	Up To 80	Up To 56	Up To 56	Up To 56
Max L3 Cache	TBD	TBD	TBD	480 MB L3	108 MB L3	320 MB L3	105 MB L3	60 MB L3	38.5 MB L3	38.5 MB L3	38.5 MB L3
Memory Support	TBD	Up To 16-Channel DDR5-9000+	Up To 12-Channel DDR5-8000	Up To 12-Channel DDR5-6400 MCR-8800	Up To 12-Channel DDR5-6400	Up To 8-Channel DDR5-5600	Up To 8-Channel DDR5-4800	Up To 8-Channel DDR4-3200	Up To 6-Channel DDR4-3200	DDR4-2933 6-Channel	DDR4-2666 6-Channel
PCIe Gen Support	PCIe 6.0	PCIe 6.0	PCIe 5.0 (96 Lanes)	PCIe 5.0 (136 Lanes)	PCIe 5.0 (88Lanes)	PCIe 5.0 (80 Lanes)	PCIe 5.0 (80 lanes)	PCIe 4.0 (64 Lanes)	PCIe 3.0 (48 Lanes)	PCIe 3.0 (48 Lanes)	PCIe 3.0 (48 Lanes)
TDP Range (PL1)	TBD	TBD	Up To 500W	Up To 500W	Up To 350W	Up To 350W	Up To 350W	105-270W	150W-250W	165W-205W	140W-205W
3D Xpoint Optane DIMM	TBD	TBD	N/A	Donahue Pass	N/A	Crow Pass	Crow Pass	Barlow Pass	Barlow Pass	Apache Pass	N/A
Competition	TBD	AMD EPYC Venice	AMD EPYC Turin	AMD EPYC Turin	AMD EPYC Bergamo	AMD EPYC Genoa ~5nm	AMD EPYC Genoa ~5nm	AMD EPYC Milan 7nm+	AMD EPYC Rome 7nm	AMD EPYC Rome 7nm	AMD EPYC Naples 14nm
Launch	2028-2029	2027	2026	2024	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2018	2017

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