• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Intel Xeon "Sapphire Rapids" Memory Detailed, Resembles AMD 1st Gen EPYC: Decentralized 8-Channel DDR5

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
46,283 (7.69/day)
Location
Hyderabad, India
System Name RBMK-1000
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory 2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s) BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s) ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard Gamdias Hermes E2
Software Windows 11 Pro
Intel's upcoming Xeon "Sapphire Rapids" processor features a memory interface topology that closely resembles that of first-generation AMD EPYC "Rome," thanks to the multi-chip module design of the processor. Back in 2017, Intel's competing "Skylake-SP" Xeon processors were based on monolithic dies. Despite being spread across multiple memory controller tiles, the 6-channel DDR4 memory interface was depicted by Intel as an advantage over EPYC "Rome." AMD's first "Zen" based enterprise processor was a multi-chip module of four 14 nm, 8-core "Zeppelin" dies, each with a 2-channel DDR4 memory interface that added up to the processor's 8-channel I/O. Much like "Sapphire Rapids," a CPU core from any of the four dies had access to memory and I/O controlled by any other die, as the four were networked over the Infinity Fabric interconnect in a configuration that essentially resembled "4P on a stick."

With "Sapphire Rapids," Intel is taking a largely similar approach—it has four compute tiles (dies) instead of a monolithic die, which Intel says helps with scalability in both directions; and each of the four compute tiles has a 2-channel DDR5 or 1024-bit HBM memory interface, which add up to the processor's 8-channel DDR5 total I/O. Intel says that CPU cores from each tile has equal access to memory, last-level cache, and I/O controlled by another die. Inter-tile communication is handled by EMIB physical media (55 micron bump-pitch wiring). UPI 2.0 makes up the inter-socket interconnect. Each of the four compute tiles has 24 UPI 2.0 links that operate at 16 GT/s. Intel didn't detail how memory is presented to the operating system, or the NUMA hierarchy, however much of Intel's engineering effort appears to be focused on making this disjointed memory I/O work as if "Sapphire Rapids" were a monolithic die. The company claims "consistent low-latency, high cross-sectional bandwidth across the SoC."



Another interesting aspect of "Sapphire Rapids" Xeon processors is support for HBM, which could prove a game-changer for the processor in the HPC and high-density compute markets. Specific models of Xeon "Sapphire Rapids" processors could come with on-package HBM. This memory can either be used as a victim-cache for the on-die caches on the compute tiles, vastly improving the memory sub-system; work exclusively as a standalone main memory; or even work as a non-tiered main memory alongside the DDR5 DRAM with flat memory regions. Intel refers to these as software-visible HBM+DDR5, and software-transparent HBM+DDR5 modes.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Messages
1,526 (0.82/day)
System Name Personal Gaming Rig
Processor Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI X670E Carbon
Cooling MO-RA 3 420
Memory 32GB 6000MHz
Video Card(s) RTX 4090 ICHILL FROSTBITE ULTRA
Storage 4x 2TB Nvme
Display(s) Samsung G8 OLED
Case Silverstone FT04
So it is just ONE intel presentation and we got NINE threads so it can cover the Front page and the second page as well.
 
Joined
Sep 26, 2006
Messages
463 (0.07/day)
Wow slow news day.
I love the "Up to >100MB shared LLC" bit... so up to (upper bound) greater than (lower bound) 100MB. It's clear it's marketeers and not engineers that wrote this.
 

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
46,283 (7.69/day)
Location
Hyderabad, India
System Name RBMK-1000
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory 2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s) BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s) ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard Gamdias Hermes E2
Software Windows 11 Pro
So it is just ONE intel presentation and we got NINE threads so it can cover the Front page and the second page as well.
I have like 15 more stories in the pipeline just related to Architecture Day. The presentation itself has like 200 slides and a 2-hour video. It's all I'll be doing today.
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2019
Messages
1,526 (0.82/day)
System Name Personal Gaming Rig
Processor Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI X670E Carbon
Cooling MO-RA 3 420
Memory 32GB 6000MHz
Video Card(s) RTX 4090 ICHILL FROSTBITE ULTRA
Storage 4x 2TB Nvme
Display(s) Samsung G8 OLED
Case Silverstone FT04
I have like 15 more stories in the pipeline just related to Architecture Day. The presentation itself has like 200 slides and a 2-hour video. It's all I'll be doing today.
OMG it is 24 stories in 24 hours
 
Joined
Jan 31, 2011
Messages
238 (0.05/day)
Processor 3700X
Motherboard X570 TUF Plus
Cooling U12
Memory 32GB 3600MHz
Video Card(s) eVGA GTX970
Storage 512GB 970 Pro
Case CM 500L vertical
Wow slow news day.
I love the "Up to >100MB shared LLC" bit... so up to (upper bound) greater than (lower bound) 100MB. It's clear it's marketeers and not engineers that wrote this.
Must be the marketers, since the 3rd, 4th, and 5th slides imply there are two different compute tiles, based on internal layout.

I'd expect that there is actually only one tile layout, and Intel didn't actually create two mirrored tile layouts.
 
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
2,520 (1.75/day)
Hmmm. Zen1 had some pretty bad corner cases before AMD came out with that I/O die. In particular, the "switching network" of the I/O die allows for better utilization of those memory channels.

That being said: EMIB looks more advanced than what AMD did with Zen1 (and indeed, looks more advanced than even today's Zen3. IIRC, the packaging around the I/O die on Zen3 is a simpler passive connection, and nothing like the microbumps on EMIB). So maybe Intel has a "secret weapon" in there.
 
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
8,115 (2.29/day)
Location
SE Michigan
System Name Dumbass
Processor AMD Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard ASUS TUF gaming B650
Cooling Artic Liquid Freezer 2 - 420mm
Memory G.Skill Sniper 32gb DDR5 6000
Video Card(s) GreenTeam 4070 ti super 16gb
Storage Samsung EVO 500gb & 1Tb, 2tb HDD, 500gb WD Black
Display(s) 1x Nixeus NX_EDG27, 2x Dell S2440L (16:9)
Case Phanteks Enthoo Primo w/8 140mm SP Fans
Audio Device(s) onboard (realtek?) - SPKRS:Logitech Z623 200w 2.1
Power Supply Corsair HX1000i
Mouse Steeseries Esports Wireless
Keyboard Corsair K100
Software windows 10 H
Benchmark Scores https://i.imgur.com/aoz3vWY.jpg?2
I have like 15 more stories in the pipeline just related to Architecture Day. The presentation itself has like 200 slides and a 2-hour video. It's all I'll be doing today.
Ctrl + v works well, just ask Intel. :p
 
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Messages
2,015 (1.54/day)
Location
Bulgaria
Intel is obviously very worried about AMD, since they spend so much resources to zombie us.
 
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
5,389 (0.98/day)
System Name Cyberline
Processor Intel Core i7 2600k -> 12600k
Motherboard Asus P8P67 LE Rev 3.0 -> Gigabyte Z690 Auros Elite DDR4
Cooling Tuniq Tower 120 -> Custom Watercoolingloop
Memory Corsair (4x2) 8gb 1600mhz -> Crucial (8x2) 16gb 3600mhz
Video Card(s) AMD RX480 -> ... nope still the same :'(
Storage Samsung 750 Evo 250gb SSD + WD 1tb x 2 + WD 2tb -> 2tb MVMe SSD
Display(s) Philips 32inch LPF5605H (television) -> Dell S3220DGF
Case antec 600 -> Thermaltake Tenor HTCP case
Audio Device(s) Focusrite 2i4 (USB)
Power Supply Seasonic 620watt 80+ Platinum
Mouse Elecom EX-G
Keyboard Rapoo V700
Software Windows 10 Pro 64bit
I know Pat never said this, but I would like it if he got confronted with the whole "glue" comment the company made about AMD Ryzen/Threadripper/Epyc and apologize for it.
 
Joined
Sep 1, 2020
Messages
2,015 (1.54/day)
Location
Bulgaria
Intel not worried only from AMD if I right understand this:
 
Joined
Nov 6, 2016
Messages
1,561 (0.58/day)
Location
NH, USA
System Name Lightbringer
Processor Ryzen 7 2700X
Motherboard Asus ROG Strix X470-F Gaming
Cooling Enermax Liqmax Iii 360mm AIO
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB 32GB (8GBx4) 3200Mhz CL 14
Video Card(s) Sapphire RX 5700XT Nitro+
Storage Hp EX950 2TB NVMe M.2, HP EX950 1TB NVMe M.2, Samsung 860 EVO 2TB
Display(s) LG 34BK95U-W 34" 5120 x 2160
Case Lian Li PC-O11 Dynamic (White)
Power Supply BeQuiet Straight Power 11 850w Gold Rated PSU
Mouse Glorious Model O (Matte White)
Keyboard Royal Kludge RK71
Software Windows 10
Genoa/Zen4 is supposedly moving to a 12 channel memory controller....and while the initial release will top out at 96 cores, they're rumored to have another release with 128 cores. Also, there's supposedly a huge amount of V-Cache supposed to be in there as well if I remember correctly. While, it'll be interesting to see what the integrated HBM does for intel, I just don't see their 10nm chips edging out 5nm genoa in performance based on everything I've heard, but we'll see. I just don't see Lisa Su being beaten so easily, but anything can happen.
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
3,944 (0.65/day)
Location
Police/Nanny State of America
Processor OCed 5800X3D
Motherboard Asucks C6H
Cooling Air
Memory 32GB
Video Card(s) OCed 6800XT
Storage NVMees
Display(s) 32" Dull curved 1440
Case Freebie glass idk
Audio Device(s) Sennheiser
Power Supply Don't even remember
Genoa/Zen4 is supposedly moving to a 12 channel memory controller....and while the initial release will top out at 96 cores, they're rumored to have another release with 128 cores. Also, there's supposedly a huge amount of V-Cache supposed to be in there as well if I remember correctly. While, it'll be interesting to see what the integrated HBM does for intel, I just don't see their 10nm chips edging out 5nm genoa in performance based on everything I've heard, but we'll see. I just don't see Lisa Su being beaten so easily, but anything can happen.

Don't worry, intel is wasting their money on that HBM, b/c AMD will have it, too, and you know who will benefit more from it lol
 
Joined
Jul 16, 2014
Messages
8,115 (2.29/day)
Location
SE Michigan
System Name Dumbass
Processor AMD Ryzen 7800X3D
Motherboard ASUS TUF gaming B650
Cooling Artic Liquid Freezer 2 - 420mm
Memory G.Skill Sniper 32gb DDR5 6000
Video Card(s) GreenTeam 4070 ti super 16gb
Storage Samsung EVO 500gb & 1Tb, 2tb HDD, 500gb WD Black
Display(s) 1x Nixeus NX_EDG27, 2x Dell S2440L (16:9)
Case Phanteks Enthoo Primo w/8 140mm SP Fans
Audio Device(s) onboard (realtek?) - SPKRS:Logitech Z623 200w 2.1
Power Supply Corsair HX1000i
Mouse Steeseries Esports Wireless
Keyboard Corsair K100
Software windows 10 H
Benchmark Scores https://i.imgur.com/aoz3vWY.jpg?2
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
3,944 (0.65/day)
Location
Police/Nanny State of America
Processor OCed 5800X3D
Motherboard Asucks C6H
Cooling Air
Memory 32GB
Video Card(s) OCed 6800XT
Storage NVMees
Display(s) 32" Dull curved 1440
Case Freebie glass idk
Audio Device(s) Sennheiser
Power Supply Don't even remember
wait! I know this one!! :kookoo:
If it's not obvious, I'm insulting their lack of engineering prowess. Intel continues to be reactionary instead of forward thinking. (I mean AL big little...lol).
 
Joined
Apr 1, 2017
Messages
420 (0.16/day)
System Name The Cum Blaster
Processor R9 5900x
Motherboard Gigabyte X470 Aorus Gaming 7 Wifi
Cooling Alphacool Eisbaer LT360
Memory 4x8GB Crucial Ballistix @ 3800C16
Video Card(s) 7900 XTX Nitro+
Storage Lots
Display(s) 4k60hz, 4k144hz
Case Obsidian 750D Airflow Edition
Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA G3 750W
1st gen ryzen eh? can't believe intel used glue
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2008
Messages
6 (0.00/day)
Let's not forget about this:

Intel Says AMD EPYC Processors "Glued-together" in Official Slide Deck


intl_glued.jpg
 
Top