Intel's upcoming Diamond Rapids Xeon 7 CPUs are slated for a 2027 launch, featuring up to 256 cores built on next-gen P-Core technology. The platform will utilize the 18A-P node, though Intel reportedly gutted the Diamond Rapids roadmap in December 2023.
The revised lineup focuses on P-Cores after Intel canceled Diamond Rapids-HD E-Core designs and a proposed 512-core platform. This shift follows the Granite Rapids Xeon 6900P, which offers 128 cores, as Intel prepares Coral Rapids to succeed this generation.
Intel's 256-core target directly matches AMD's EPYC Venice family. AMD's 6th Gen 2nm chips, including the 256-core EPYC 9996 and 192-core EPYC 9966, will compete for data center dominance as both manufacturers push core counts to new heights by the late 2020s.