Today, we are excited to present our review of the Intel Xeon MAX 9480, which combines 56 cores with 64GB of HBM2e memory. This memory is not the typical DDR5, but rather the same kind of memory found in GPUs and AI accelerators. Our review became even more interesting when we removed all of the DDR5 memory from a system and observed its boot process. Intel has sponsored this piece and provided us with not only the CPUs, but also a full development platform. The Xeon MAX has a notable difference from the Xeon Platinum 8480+ in terms of cache, and it also includes four 16GB HBM2e packages. The “winglets” on the package add extra space to accommodate the HBM2e components. This is not the first time Intel has introduced special versions of chips with protruding packages, but the Xeon MAX iteration is less exciting in comparison. We received the highest-end Xeon MAX CPU, the 9480, for review, but the 9462 with 32 cores and 64GB of HBM2e is also intriguing. Lastly, we have a development platform that we will briefly explore.
https://www.servethehome.com/intel-xeon-max-9480-deep-dive-intel-has-64gb-hbm2e-onboard-like-a-gpu-or-ai-accelerator/