The HEDT/Workstation Segment Heats Up with Intel's New W-2500 Series
The HEDT/workstation segment is becoming more competitive as Intel prepares to launch its new line of low(er) core-count processor models. These models will have I/O features that rival 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 offers a 26-core/52-thread core-configuration, 2 MB of dedicated L2 cache per core, and 48.75 MB of shared L3 cache.
One area where the Intel Xeon W-2500 series outperforms the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 (TRX50) is the platform I/O. While both processors offer a 4-channel DDR5 interface, the Intel chip provides a 64-lane PCI-Express Gen 5 root complex, compared to the 48-lane PCIe Gen 5 root complex from the AMD processor. The TRX50 platform itself has 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 offering 8-core/16-thread, and the highest model featuring 26-core/52-thread. In contrast, the Threadripper 7000 TRX50 can reach core counts of up to 64-core/128-thread. The series begins with the W3-2525 and W3-2535. The W3-2525 is an 8-core/16-thread model with a TDP of 175 W, a base clock speed of 3.50 GHz, a boost clock speed of 4.50 GHz, 2 MB per core L2 cache, and 22.5 MB L3 cache. The W3-2535 steps up with a 10-core/20-thread configuration, a TDP of 185 W, a boost clock speed of 4.60 GHz, and 26.25 MB L3 cache.
Next in line are the W5-2545, W5-2555X, and W5-2565X. The W5-2545 is a 12-core/24-thread model with a TDP of 210 W, a maximum boost frequency of 4.70 GHz, and 30 MB of shared L3 cache. The W5-2555X has the same 210 W TDP, but offers a 14-core/28-thread configuration, a maximum boost frequency of 4.80 GHz, and 33.75 MB L3 cache. The W5-2565X takes it a step further with 18-core/36-thread, or what used to be the highest core counts for Intel HEDT processors under the Core X brand. It has the same 4.80 GHz maximum boost frequency as the W-2555X, but the additional cores mean that the TDP is increased to 240 W.
At the top of the product stack are the Xeon W7-2575X and W7-2595X. The W7-2575X features a core count of 22-core/44-thread, the same 240 W TDP as the W-2565X, the same 4.80 GHz boost frequency, but 45 MB of L3 cache. Finally, the W7-2595X takes the lead with 26-core/52-thread, a TDP of 250 W, a maximum boost frequency of 4.80 GHz, and 48.75 MB L3 cache.
