This is a very strange time indeed. Via Intel Product Change Notification PCN115363-00 we now have a list of Intel Xeon Platinum and Gold series models. The reason this is a little strange is because, depending on who you are in the market, the Skylake Xeon series has been out for some time. On the other hand, we do not expect general availability until late in Q3 2017.
We recently covered the launch of the first Intel Xeon Gold Processor 61xx Series System Launched; CPUs Q3 2017 some time ago. Also, Intel has announced it has been shipping Skylake Xeons though its early access program.
Microsoft has been showing off Project Olympus Skylake Xeon systems since 2016. We have had block diagrams of the new systems available for several quarters.
You can already get on them using the Google Cloud Platform.
Intel Xeon Platinum Series Models
| SKU Name | Base Frequency (GHz) | Product # |
| Xeon Platinum 8180M | 2.5 | CD8067303192101 |
| Xeon Platinum 8180 | 2.1 | CD8067303314400 |
| Xeon Platinum 8176M | 2.1 | CD8067303133605 |
| Xeon Platinum 8176 | 2.1 | CD8067303314700 |
| Xeon Platinum 8170M | 2.1 | CD8067303319201 |
| Xeon Platinum 8170 | 2.1 | CD8067303327601 |
| Xeon Platinum 8168 | 2.7 | CD8067303327701 |
| Xeon Platinum 8164 | 2.0 | CD8067303408800 |
| Xeon Platinum 8160T | 2.1 | CD8067303592800 |
| Xeon Platinum 8160M | 2.1 | CD8067303406600 |
| Xeon Platinum 8160 | 2.1 | CD8067303405600 |
| Xeon Platinum 8158 | 3.0 | CD8067303406500 |
| Xeon Platinum 8156 | 3.6 | CD8067303368800 |
| Xeon Platinum 8153 | 2.0 | CD8067303408900 |
Intel Xeon Gold Series Models
| SKU Name | Base Frequency (GHz) | Product # |
| Xeon Gold 6154 | 3.0 | CD8067303592700 |
| Xeon Gold 6152 | 2.1 | CD8067303406000 |
| Xeon Gold 6150 | 2.7 | CD8067303328000 |
| Xeon Gold 6148 | 2.4 | CD8067303406200 |
| Xeon Gold 6142M | 2.6 | CD8067303405700 |
| Xeon Gold 6142 | 2.6 | CD8067303405400 |
| Xeon Gold 6140M | 2.3 | CD8067303405500 |
| Xeon Gold 6140 | 2.3 | CD8067303405200 |
| Xeon Gold 6138T | 2.0 | CD8067303592900 |
| Xeon Gold 6138 | 2.0 | CD8067303406100 |
| Xeon Gold 6136 | 3.0 | CD8067303405800 |
| Xeon Gold 6134M | 3.2 | CD8067303330402 |
| Xeon Gold 6134 | 3.2 | CD8067303330302 |
| Xeon Gold 6132 | 2.6 | CD8067303592500 |
| Xeon Gold 6130T | 2.1 | CD8067303593000 |
| Xeon Gold 6130 | 2.1 | CD8067303409000 |
| Xeon Gold 6128 | 3.4 | CD8067303592600 |
| Xeon Gold 6126T | 2.6 | CD8067303593100 |
| Xeon Gold 6126 | 2.6 | CD8067303405900 |
| Xeon Gold 5122 | 3.6 | CD8067303330702 |
We do expect to see product differentiation based on the level. For example, we can see a case where new Xeons will have the ability to support Optane DIMMs only on some models. We also expect that there will be differentiation based on the number of sockets supported, much like there is today.
Feedback We Are Hearing
We have received a lot of feedback in the market during this transition.
First, the new naming conventions are very confusing to customers who have been trained on buying a specific model. E.g. We bought E5-2650 V1, then V2, then V3 now V4. There is an entire re-education process that will have to take place.
Second, we expect the transition away from the E5 branding to also mean that we will see stricter feature differentiation, much like we are seeing with Denverton/ Intel Atom C3000 series chips. Whereas today you can use an Intel Xeon E5-2620 V4 and an Intel Xeon E5-2699 V4 in the same socket (system cooling/ TDP limitations aside) and have essentially the same feature set, we do not expect that to be the case with the Intel Xeon Platinum and Gold series given the company’s direction on other product lines.
Third, it is not a secret that the whole early access program has moved away from just hyper-scale players and into enterprise-level buyers.
Finally, this is just about the longest product launch in computing history. There are paper launches where the product is announced then available many weeks, months, quarters later. This is the opposite. Intel has essentially already launched the Intel Xeon Platinum and Gold series to any decent size customer. We are still awaiting the product announcement.
Expect more of these publications of changes to “unreleased” product as time continues. Intel is supporting an essentially launched product while still denying public availability.
(Source: Intel PCN115363-00)
This kinda feels like the end of the commodity server hardware market, with bigger players now getting an advantage with exclusive access to next generation tech.
Is it really a good idea for Intel to start making “artificial” limitations/differentiations to Xeons with what i assume incredible markups (like usual) to the Xeon series where everything is “unlocked” when Naples is just around the corner without the stupid lockdowns.
Seems like Intel is going in the wrong direction, they close down their IP:s more and more, you have to buy a specific platform, a specific chipset, a specific CPU, a specific Xeon serie and the stars need to be align for you to use the full feature set, they keep limiting and limiting their platforms more and more (limiting DIMM size and quantities, limiting PCI lanes, limiting I/O, limiting Optane to a certain platforms, limiting freaking everything), etc etc etc, it should really be the other way around. Whereas IBM and AMD goes in the other direction, opening up their system more, P9 and Naples will have a shitload (for lack of a better word) of PCI lanes, a shitload of DIMM support (no weird artificial limiting of DIMM size and quantity, i’ve seen low tier Power and AMD server CPU:s combined with high memory capabilities, almost equivalent to putting 512 gigs of RAM on an E3 cpu (there is ton of applications for low tier CPU:s combined with high memory fotprint)), much better I/O support and customization etc etc.
Yes, i exaggerated some of the stuff but no, i am getting tired of Intels strategies nowadays, seems like they want to become the next SGI…………..
Jesper, be glad that Intel tries to milk customers as much as possible hence giving AMD chance to recover a bit and really throw Naples goodies to the market. Honestly I’m really looking forward to test naples somewhere…