Intel has broadened its Xeon 6 processor family by introducing the 6700 and 6500 series, engineered to meet the demands of memory-intensive data center operations and edge computing applications.
Advancing Performance with P-Core Technology
The latest Xeon 6 processors feature Performance-cores (P-cores), optimized for high-performance workloads. Unlike earlier models that launched with Efficiency-cores (E-cores) for power-conscious applications, these new additions focus on maximizing computational output while maintaining energy efficiency. While the 6900P series, released in September, remains the pinnacle of performance, the 6700 and 6500 series offer a balance of power and scalability tailored for modern enterprises.
According to Intel, the updated Xeon 6 chips deliver up to 1.4 times better performance over their predecessors and can serve as AI host node CPUs. Additionally, Intel claims a performance advantage of up to 1.5 times over AMD’s 5th generation Epyc processors.
Differentiation Between 6700 and 6500 Models
The primary distinction between the two new Xeon models lies in core count and performance scaling. The 6700 series ranges from 8 to 86 cores, with higher clock speeds in lower-core models. The 6500 lineup spans from 12 to 32 cores, also varying in clock speeds. Both variants support eight channels of DDR5 memory, slightly less than the 12-channel configuration found in the 6900 series.
A key advantage of the 6700/6500 models over the 6900 series is their socket scalability. While the 6900 supports up to two sockets per system, the new models can accommodate up to eight sockets, making them ideal for applications requiring expanded memory capacity.
“Increasing core counts naturally leads to demand for higher socket configurations,” explained Ronak Singhal, Senior Fellow and Chief Architect of Xeon Products. “Memory-intensive workloads, such as in-memory databases, benefit significantly from expanded socket support, ensuring that computational resources scale in tandem with memory capacity.”
While Intel has set the limit at eight sockets, Singhal noted that third-party developers could engineer controllers capable of supporting configurations with 16 or even 32 sockets.
Expanding into Network and Edge Computing
Beyond data center performance, Intel has also introduced a system-on-chip (SoC) version of Xeon 6, designed for edge computing and networking applications. This iteration integrates accelerators for virtualized radio access networks (vRAN), media processing, AI workloads, and network security, improving performance while optimizing power efficiency.
Intel reports that these Xeon 6 SoCs provide up to 2.4 times the RAN capacity and 70% better performance-per-watt compared to previous Xeon generations. Additionally, they feature the industry’s first built-in media accelerator, the Intel Media Transcode Accelerator, offering up to 14 times better performance per watt over the Xeon 6538N. AI RAN performance per core has also improved by up to 3.2 times with vRAN Boost enhancements.
New Ethernet Controllers and Network Adapters
To complement its latest processor offerings, Intel has launched two new Ethernet product lines tailored for telecommunications, cloud computing, high-performance computing (HPC), AI applications, and enterprise infrastructure:
- Intel Ethernet E830 Controllers and Network Adapters: Offering up to 200GbE bandwidth, these controllers are optimized for virtualized environments, featuring enhanced security and advanced networking capabilities.
- Intel Ethernet E610 Controllers and Network Adapters: Designed for control plane operations, these adapters provide 10GBASE-T connectivity to ensure seamless network management.
With these advancements, Intel continues to push the boundaries of high-performance computing and edge networking, reinforcing its position in AI-driven enterprise and cloud computing solutions.
