Intel unveils x86 CPU with the industry's highest core count.

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Intel has formally announced its Xeon 6+ 'Clearwater Forest' processors, the first data center CPUs built on its 18A (1.8nm-class) process node. The flagship configuration packs 288 energy-efficient Darkmont cores across 12 compute chiplets, each containing 24 cores, stacked using Foveros Direct 3D packaging on base dies made with Intel 3. The platform supports 12 channels of DDR5-8000, 96 PCIe 5.0 lanes, and CXL 2.0, and is drop-in compatible with existing Xeon server sockets. Total last-level cache exceeds 1 TB (approximately 1,152 MB). Intel targets the chip at telecom, cloud, and edge AI workloads including 5G/6G vRAN and virtualized infrastructure. Dual-socket configurations can reach 576 cores per server. Systems are expected to be available later in 2026.

Intel's make-or-break 18A process node debuts for data center with 288-core Xeon 6+ CPU — multi-chip monster sports 12 channels of DDR5-8000, Foveros Direct 3D packaging tech