Is this the first glimpse of new Intel Sapphire Rapids workstations?

A computer processing chip
(Image credit: Shutterstock / sdecoret)

In a spot of good news for the video editors among us, the specifications for Intel's latest line of high performance workstation-focused processors have apparently leaked online.

The Sapphire Rapids-WS processors aren't set to compete with AMD's data center-focused EPYC 7003 (Milan) processors, but rather AMD's Threadripper PRO line of processors.

Videocardz speculated that the new Xeon Workstation will act as a successor to Intel's previous high performance desktop CPUs, the Ice Lake-X/Cascade-Lake-X SKUs, and will require a new motherboard to run, dubbed the “Maverick” W790 Sapphire Rapids 112L.

What do they offer?

Videocardz's sources said the CPUs will support DDR5 RAM and have support for frequencies of up to 4800 MHz.

The sources didn't exactly specify the memory channel count and PCIe lanes for the new processors, but they said they could feature 112 PCIe 5 lanes and 8-channel support.

Clock speeds for the new hardware are reportedly set to go up to 3.2GHz, with most parts operating between 2.0-2.9GHz. 

The Thermal design power (TDP) will differ depending on which model you opt for, with the highest-end model the W9 Xeon boasting wattage of between 300-350w the W7 Xeon boasting between 220-270w.

When can I buy?

Unfortunately, Videocardz's source had no information about when the new processors would land but predicted that it shouldn't be too far off.

The new processors are set to face some serious competition when they do land however,  AMD's product roadmap claims its Zen 4 processors will be added to the Ryzen Threadripper family in 2023.

Will McCurdy has been writing about technology for over five years. He has a wide range of specialities including cybersecurity, fintech, cryptocurrencies, blockchain, cloud computing, payments, artificial intelligence, retail technology, and venture capital investment. He has previously written for AltFi, FStech, Retail Systems, and National Technology News and is an experienced podcast and webinar host, as well as an avid long-form feature writer.