Intel’s Granite Rapids Xeon Challenges AMD’s Dominance

The 18-core Intel Xeon 654 processor from the yet-to-be-fully-unveiled Granite Rapids-WS lineup appeared in the PassMark benchmark, showcasing an impressive performance. The newcomer delivered results comparable to the 28-core Xeon W7-3465X, which is notable considering the core count disparity. However, the AMD Threadripper Pro 9955WX, equipped with just 16 cores, is approximately 10% faster, highlighting the ongoing rivalry between these two tech giants.

Furthermore, the 12-core Threadripper PRO 9945WX lags behind by only 8%, maintaining AMD’s edge in performance. When compared to its direct predecessor, the new Intel processor outpaces the 18-core Xeon W5-2565X by roughly 17%. With a release slated for the first half of 2026, the new Xeon 6 is set to compete with the Threadripper 9000 series, which already leads in PassMark with equal core counts.

However, the upcoming year also promises the introduction of new Threadripper processors based on the Zen 6 architecture, expected to further disrupt the market.

Two classes of Xeon 6 will be available: entry-level CPUs with a 4-channel memory controller and high-end models with an 8-channel memory controller. The top model in this lineup will boast a staggering 86 cores.