Intel’s next-generation Xeon processors could come with support for new technologies to make servers fast, according to the latest leaked images. Leaked schematics for an engineering sample of Intel’s 4th-gen Xeon — which has a code name of Sapphire Rapids — indicate that the processor may add support for PCIe 5.0 and new eight-channel DDR5 memory. Support for the former would make Sapphire Rapids the first server processor to add PCIe 5.0 support, while support for the latter would bring Intel’s server into memory parity with its recently unveiled Alder Lake processors, which will arrive later this year.
For its part, Intel has not confirmed any information in the leak, but Wccftech reported that the schematics posted by YuuKi-AnS show that Intel’s powerful server processor can be used in high-performance computing (HPC) systems like exascale computers. In one slide deck, a configuration shows that two Sapphire Rapids processors would be paired with six Intel Xe-based graphics with unified system memory.
The GPU in this system is the Ponte Vecchio GPU that Intel recently unveiled, which shows off the full capabilities of what the company’s Xe architecture can do on the graphics side. The chipset comes in a two-tile design with a total of 8,192 cores capable of 21.1 TFLOPs of power. A separate four-tile design is also being developed that will double the power to 42 TFLOPs. For comparison, the GPU on Microsoft’s Xbox Series X game console is described to be capable of 12 TFLOPs of power.
Intel’s exascale computer system is expected to be delivered in 2021, according to the leaked slide.
Moving from the Ice Lake SP architecture to the Sapphire Rapids SP, a separate slide noted that Intel will use a new core design, though it’s expected that both Ice Lake SP and Sapphire Rapids SP will be based on a 10nm process and will be used on the Eagle Stream platform. The leaked sample revealed that the Sapphire Rapids chip comes with a base clock speed of 1.3GHz and will be manufactured on Intel’s 10nm Enhanced SuperFin process. The chipset features four compute cores and four HBM stacks. It will use a new LGA4677-X socket.
The star of the show, however, is support for PCI Express 5.0, which brings onboard high-bandwidth memory and Compute Express Link 1.1. Compared to PCIe 4.0, the new standard doubles the throughput bandwidth with a data rate of 32 GT/s. Reduced latency is also a big part of PCI Express 5.0, so you can expect faster data center performance with Intel’s new Xeon processors.
Acer’s Predator Atlas 8 finally has a US release date and price, several months after the company first showed off the handheld in May. The highlight is the Intel Arc G3 Extreme chip inside, which has been adopted by only a couple of other consoles besides the Atlas 8. This version will go on sale exclusively at Best Buy on November 1 for $1,299.99.
Acer originally said the Atlas 8 would arrive in North America in October, but left pricing open at the time. The launch came amid the ongoing DRAM crunch, which has made memory more expensive across the PC industry and complicated pricing for hardware makers.
Google DeepMind's AI world model Genie 4 can now build interactive worlds that you can explore and reshape as they run. It also generates ambient sounds, music, and dialogue that respond to your actions.
The new world model builds on Genie 3 with improved realism, more natural human movement, and better simulations of real-world physics. It could eventually help with everything from game development to training robots.
Apple has an incredible talent for making me admire its products while simultaneously questioning what on earth it's thinking with the pricing. This isn't even something as bizarre as a monitor stand, but the audacity for starting a new laptop lineup from $2,000 doesn't surprise me.
The newly announced 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 is just the latest to showcase this. The funny thing is, I already know that it's going to be a reliable workstation. You get a powerful new 2nm M6 processor, a gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display, and up to 24 hours of battery life. We were impressed by the M5 MacBook Air, so the high-end M6 powered MacBook Pro definitely won't let us down.