[News] Intel Reportedly Launching Next-generation Xeon CPUs in 2026, Reclaiming Data Center Market

According to TechNews, citing Wccftech, Intel is preparing to expand its data center portfolio with next-generation Xeon processors, as Diamond Rapids and Clearwater Forest are confirmed for a 2026 release by Michelle Johnston Holthaus, CEO of Intel Products, at the BofA Global Technology Conference on June 3. Once dominant in the workstation CPU market, Intel has seen its lead challenged in recent years, as the rise of AI shifted industry demands and AMD gained momentum with its highly competitive EPYC lineup.

Diamond Rapids

To reclaim its leadership, Intel is placing high hopes on its next-generation Xeon server processors. Wccftech, citing Intel’s Products CEO, notes that customers are already deploying Granite Rapids, while Clearwater Forest (E-core) and Diamond Rapids (P-core) are set to follow in 2026—efforts aimed at helping Intel gradually rebuild its market share.

For Diamond Rapids, Wccftech notes, citing sources, it will feature the large LGA 9324 socket, nearly five times the size of LGA 1700, and include Panther Cove-X P-Cores, making it one of Intel’s fastest Xeon processors to date. The chips are rumored to be built on Intel’s 18A process, with high-volume production likely to proceed smoothly, the report adds.

As the report indicates, Intel’s Diamond Rapids is set to go up against AMD’s EPYC Venice CPUs, which are expected to leverage TSMC’s 2nm process and rank among AMD’s most advanced EPYC chips.

Clearwater Forest

Meanwhile, Intel’s other next-generation data center offering, Clearwater Forest, is expected to adopt the Darkmont architecture and deliver up to 288 E-cores, targeting high-density, energy-efficient workloads.

Additionally, the Clearwater Forest lineup will feature Foveros Direct hybrid bonding technology and be manufactured using Intel’s 18A process, as the company plans to rely solely on its in-house capabilities for this series.

According to Intel’s plan, 18A is now in risk production and expected to reach volume manufacturing this year. As noted by the Economic Daily News, Intel previously announced it will launch the Panther Lake laptop processor using 18A in the second half of 2025. In early 2026, the Clearwater Forest server chip—Intel’s first server product built on 18A—is also set to debut, Economic Daily News highlights.

Read more

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(Photo credit: Intel)