Intel HEDT Sapphire Rapids Refresh leaks out (again)

Following the leak featuring processor tests through HWBOT, we now have an evidence that Intel is already shipping packaged processors.

Intel’s Sapphire Rapids W-Series will soon receive a Refresh. The company is expected to launch new SKUs based on the same architecture, but with more cores across its W3000 and W2000 models. The new series, dubbed x500 (W2500 and W3500), should launch soon.

The reason we can assume the launch is imminent is simple: boxes of these processors are already out there, and some have already been photographed. In fact, as many as 22 processors have been pictured, most of which are of two SKUs.

The Xeon W7-2495 is the highest SKU within the 2500 product family. It is said to feature 26 cores, 56 threads, a boost clock of up to 4.8 GHz, and a TDP of 250W.

Additionally, there’s the Xeon W7-3465X, a current-gen processor with 28 cores and a boost clock of up to 4.8 GHz. Its successor, the W7-3565X, is expected to feature 4 more cores while maintaining the same boost clock. The new part will also have different TDP settings, requiring 335W instead of the current 300W.

The release timing for the Sapphire Rapids Refresh is unknown, but it is clear that Intel is ready to launch these processors at any moment. Retail packaging is the final step before product readiness. However, one shouldn’t expect much news from Intel. Since the Xeon W series replaced the Core X-series in the HEDT segment, enthusiasts have shifted their attention to high-core-count SKUs within the Core i9 and soon-to-be Core 9 families.

Source: @SkyAMD