Intel’s Xeon 6+: The First Efficient Core 18A Xeon Processor

Intel has launched its Xeon 6+ processor, the company's most efficient server chip to date and its first built on the Intel 18A process node. 

The new processor is designed to help data centres and telcos do more with less,  packing more computing power into every rack while also cutting energy consumption.

At its heart, the Xeon 6+ is built around what Intel calls Efficient-cores, or E-cores. Where traditional server chips prioritise raw single-thread speed, E-cores are engineered to handle large numbers of simultaneous tasks as efficiently as possible. 

The result is a processor that can pack up to 288 cores into a single chip – a record for the Xeon family – without a proportional rise in power consumption.

That matters because modern data centre workloads, from 5G core networking to cloud-hosted digital services, tend to involve vast numbers of smaller tasks running in parallel rather than a handful of heavyweight computations.

The more of those tasks a single server can handle, the fewer servers an organisation needs – and the smaller its energy bills and physical footprint.

The numbers behind the Intel Xeon 6+ processor

When Intel announced the new product at this year’s MWC, it revealed that the Xeon 6+ delivers 48% better performance per watt compared to its predecessor, the Xeon 6700E. 

Intel claims that the Xeon 6+ performs 30% better per thread compared to its competition. 

This kind of computational power could allow companies to consolidate their tech stacks, saving space and money in the long run.

Intel itself says the server consolidation ratio for its new range is 9:1 compared to second-generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, meaning one modern server can potentially replace eight older machines at equivalent workload levels.

Kevork Kechichian, who is the Executive Vice President and General Manager of Intel's Data Center Group, believes the new product could be transformational.

“Intel Xeon 6+ processors empower data centres, cloud providers and telecom operators to scale workloads more efficiently, dramatically reduce energy consumption and deliver smarter, more responsive services,” he says.

“With our most efficient-cores yet, this processor provides significant rack density, delivering efficiency that customers rely on to consolidate their data centre footprint and reduce TCO.”

Built for 5G and digital services

The Xeon 6+ has a particular focus on telecommunications infrastructure. As mobile networks push deeper into 5G and operators race to virtualise their core network functions, the demand for high-density, low-power compute has become especially acute. 

A processor that can run more virtual network functions per server – and do so more efficiently – directly reduces both capital and operating costs for network operators.

Content delivery, edge computing and cloud-hosted enterprise applications are also cited as target workloads, making the chip relevant beyond pure telco environments.

A new manufacturing milestone

The Xeon 6+ is the first Xeon processor to be manufactured on Intel's 18A process node, the company's most advanced fabrication technology. 

Process nodes are a measure of how finely transistors can be etched onto a chip. Generally, smaller processes mean more transistors per square millimetre, which translates to higher performance and lower power consumption at a given chip size. 

The move to 18A represents a huge step forward for Intel's in-house manufacturing ambitions, and it also speaks to the company's intent to reclaim ground in the foundry race.