The HEDT/workstation segment is heating up, with Intel preparing to launch a new line of low(er) core-count processor models with I/O features competitive to those of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 series for the AMD TRX50 platform. The new W-2500 series is designed for the same Intel W790 chipset Socket LGA4677 motherboards as the W-2400 series, but with increased CPU core-counts across the board. The top W-2500 series processor model comes with a 26-core/52-thread core-configuration, 2 MB of dedicated L2 cache per core, and 48.75 MB of shared L3 cache.

Where the Intel Xeon W-2500 series aces over the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 (TRX50), is the platform I/O. While both processors offer a 4-channel DDR5 interface, the Intel chip offers a 64-lane PCI-Express Gen 5 root complex, in comparison to the 48-lane PCIe Gen 5 root complex from the processor. The TRX50 platform itself adds up to 88 PCIe lanes, but only 48 of these are Gen 5. The W-2500 series includes seven processor models, with the lowest model giving you 8-core/16-thread, and the highest one being 26-core/52-thread. Here the Threadripper 7000 TRX50 has a distinct advantage, as it offers core counts of up to 64-core/128-thread.