- Intel Xeon Clearwater Forest processors were spotted in a new Linux patch.
- The model number 0xDD has been assigned to them. Clearwater Forest Xeon will feature Darkmont E-Cores, as revealed in the patch.
- As per Intel's roadmap, next-gen Clearwater Forest Xeon CPUs should be released in 2025.
Intel Xeon is a CPU lineup intended for high-end computing, packing a staggering amount of multi-core capability. The new Clearwater Forest processors have just been spotted in a Linux leak. While this new architecture is coming much later, the patch reveals the kind of E-core these will pack.
According to Intel’s roadmap, as revealed back in Innovation 2023, the company will be launching new Sierra Forest Xeon CPUs this year. Later in 2025, we could see the launch of new Intel Xeon Clearwater Forest processors. In the Linux patch details (via: Phoronix), it can be seen that these new server CPUs will come with Darkmont E-cores. We will discuss Intel’s roadmap and when to expect these new processors later.
Efficiency (E) cores were first revealed back in Intel 12th-generation processors. Intel processors also feature Performance (P) Cores as part of the hybrid performance architecture. It is expected that new Panther Lake processors for general consumers will also feature these latest Darkmont E-cores. Do note that both of these are not coming anytime soon.
Simply put, support for the upcoming Xeon CPU has been added in the form of a Linux patch. The model number ‘0xDD’ for the Clearwater Forest Xeon processors coming later in 2025 has been added here. With this patch, it is also confirmed that Sierra Forest Xeon CPUs coming soon, in 2024, will feature Crestmont E-cores.
Earlier in 2023, Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger showed off an Xeon chip featuring this particular Sierra Forest architecture on stage featuring the Intel 3 manufacturing process. The beastly CPU featured 288 Crestmont E-cores, and major efficiency gains were claimed over the previous-gen Sapphire Rapids Intel Xeon CPUs.
Many Linux patches are expected from Intel, so this is notably just the beginning of the company’s effort towards readying support for new Intel Xeon CPUs on Linux. You can check out the roadmap of Intel as revealed in the event below.
This shows that after Sierra Forest, new Clearwater Forest Xeon CPUs are coming. Moreover, as said before, Intel Panther Lake, featuring the same kind of E-core, is expected to be released in 2025. The roadmap shared for Intel Xeon is from a previously held investors meeting.
What are your thoughts on upcoming Intel Xeon Clearwater Forest processors and the new Darkmont E-cores they feature? Let us know in the comments below.
