Sierra Forest
First Xeon generation with only E-cores, up to 288 cores.
Sierra Forest is the codename for Intel’s sixth-generation Xeon Scalable server processors, which arrived in June 2024. These chips mark the first Xeon generation built entirely around density-optimized E-cores, offering cloud server customers configurations with up to 288 Crestmont E-cores.
Intel first revealed in February 2022 that future Xeon generations would split into two separate tracks: one using only P-cores and another using only E-cores. The P-core line targets high-performance computing, while the E-core line is meant for cloud customers who value higher core density, energy efficiency, and strong performance in heavily multi-threaded workloads over single-threaded speed. In March 2023, Intel announced that Sierra Forest processors had powered on, demonstrating a 144-core chip, and set a release window for the first half of 2024. By September 2023, at its Innovation event, Intel confirmed a 288-core variant was in the works.
On June 3, 2024, Intel launched the Sierra Forest-SP line, branded as the Xeon 6700E series. This initial release included seven SKUs, all using the LGA 4710 socket. The lowest-end SKU has 64 cores, while the top-end SKU packs 144 cores.
At its Vision event in April 2024, Intel unveiled new branding for Xeon processors. The Xeon Scalable name, used since 2017, was retired in favor of a simpler “Xeon 6” label that emphasizes the generation number. The Xeon badge was also redesigned to match the look of Intel’s Core Ultra processors, introduced in 2023.
Architecturally, Sierra Forest relies solely on E-cores to reach high core counts, competing with AMD’s Epyc Bergamo server chips, which offer up to 128 smaller Zen 4c cores. AMD’s Zen 4c cores support simultaneous multithreading (SMT), but Intel’s Crestmont E-cores handle only one thread per core. The design goal is ultra-high core density for cloud and HPC server applications, where cloud providers may care less about HPC accelerators and more about integer and floating-point performance per virtual CPU. Don Soltis serves as the principal engineer and chief architect for Xeon E-Core.
Sierra Forest-SP (Scalable Performance) uses the Beechnut City platform and the smaller LGA 4710 socket, aimed at mainstream servers. It supports up to 144 E-cores, eight-channel DDR5 ECC memory, and TDPs up to 350W. All models include 88 PCI Express 5.0 lanes.
Quick Facts
- Launched
- 2024-06-04
- Designedby
- Intel
- Branding
- Xeon
- Generation
- Xeon 6
- Instructions-Set
- x86
- Instructions
- x86-64
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
On February 17, 2022, Intel announced that upcoming Xeon generations would be split into two tracks: one with P-cores exclusively and one with E-cores exclusively. The E-core track was intended for cloud customers prioritizing core density, energy efficiency, and performance in heavily multi-threaded workloads. On March 29, 2023, Intel announced that Sierra Forest processors had powered on and displayed a processor running 144 E-cores, with a release timeline for H1 2024. On September 19, 2023, Intel announced at their Innovation event that a 288-core variant would be coming. On June 3, 2024, Intel released the Sierra Forest-SP line of SKUs, also known as the Xeon 6700E series, including seven SKUs at launch using the LGA 4710 socket, ranging from 64 to 144 cores. During Intel's Vision event in April 2024, new branding was unveiled: the Xeon Scalable branding was retired in favor of a simplified 'Xeon 6' brand, with a badge design visually aligned with Intel's Core Ultra processors. Sierra Forest uses only E-cores to achieve higher core counts, competing with AMD's Epyc Bergamo processors featuring up to 128 Zen 4c cores. AMD's Zen 4c cores support simultaneous multithreading (SMT), while Crestmont E-cores support only one thread per core. The architecture aims for ultra-high core counts for greater compute density benefiting cloud and HPC server applications. Don Soltis is the principal engineer and chief architect for Xeon E-Core.
Reader's Guide
Sierra Forest represents a strategic shift in Intel's server processor lineup, splitting Xeon into two distinct tracks to serve different market segments. By using only E-cores, Intel aimed to compete directly with AMD's Bergamo processors, which also used smaller, efficiency-focused cores (Zen 4c) to achieve high core counts. Sierra Forest's Crestmont E-cores lack simultaneous multithreading, unlike AMD's Zen 4c cores, but Intel's design prioritized raw core density and energy efficiency for cloud service providers who value ECU/vCPU integer and floating-point performance over HPC accelerators. The introduction of the 'Xeon 6' branding simplified the product naming, aligning it with Intel's Core Ultra branding. The Sierra Forest-SP line, with up to 144 cores on the LGA 4710 socket, and the Sierra Forest-AP line, with up to 288 cores on the LGA 7529 socket, offered two platform tiers: mainstream and high-core-count. The Beechnut City platform for Sierra Forest-SP supported TDPs up to 350W, eight-channel DDR5 ECC memory, and 88 PCI Express 5.0 lanes, while the Avenue City platform for Sierra Forest-AP supported 12-channel DDR5 memory and more PCIe lanes. This generation marked Intel's first exclusive use of E-cores in Xeon, targeting cloud and HPC workloads that benefit from high compute density.
Did You Know?
- Sierra Forest is the first Xeon generation to exclusively use E-cores.
- The high-end Sierra Forest-AP variant features up to 288 Crestmont E-cores.
- Intel announced the 288-core variant at their Innovation event on September 19, 2023.
More in Intel and AMD Microprocessors 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced