The processor Intel Xeon 7 Diamond Rapidsexpected for the second half of 2026, may have slipped to mid- 2027according to information from leaker Jaykihn, known for accurate leaks about semiconductor roadmaps.
The delay opens a significant window for AMD in the server market, as processors EPYC Venice based on the Zen 6 architecture, is scheduled for release in 2026.
A delay that adds to others
The Diamond Rapids already had its scope reduced. At the end of 2025, Intel confirmed the cancellation of the variant with 8 memory channelsconcentrating the line exclusively on models with 16 channels.
At the time, the decision was interpreted as a bet on the high-performance segment and on AI-oriented servers, but it also eliminated more affordable options from the Xeon 7 family.
Now, with the launch pushed to mid-2027, the Granite Rapids (current Xeon line) will remain in production for at least one more year than originally planned.
Intel did not comment on the delay during its balance sheet for the first quarter of 2026, released the day before. In that presentation, the company’s shares rose 20% in the after-hours after an impressive result in the data center and AI segment, which makes the silence about Diamond Rapids even more notable.
What Diamond Rapids must deliver
According to the leak, the initial launch of Diamond Rapids will feature models up to 256 P-core coresall based on the architecture Panther Cove-Xa server-optimized version derived from the Coyote Cove design.
A few months later, a second wave of products will bring versions with up to 512 coresand both generations will be compatible with the same socket, which LGA9324without requiring platform changes.
The family will use memory Second generation MRDIMM in 16-channel configuration, resulting in bandwidth of up to 1.6TB/s. For comparison purposes, AMD’s current EPYC Genoa operates with 12 channels. The chip will be manufactured at the node Intel 18A.
A relevant detail: Diamond Rapids will be the last generation Xeon without SMT support (Simultaneous Multithreading, known as Hyper-Threading). Intel eliminated the feature in previous versions as a security and performance measure for specific workloads, but its absence continues to be a point of debate among server administrators.
Coral Rapids brings SMT back in 2028
The next generation, called Coral Rapidsis scheduled for mid- 2028 and resumes Hyper-Threading in the Xeon P-core line.
The rollout will begin with variants of 8 memory channelsbut the CEO of Intel himself, Lip-Bu Tansignaled in the Q1 2026 earnings call that Coral Rapids’ schedule could be advance if market demand justifies it.
Technical details about Coral Rapids’ architecture, core count and performance are not yet circulated in reliable sources.
Clearwater Forest keeps Intel in the game in 2026
While Diamond Rapids awaits 2027, Intel will not be without new developments in the server segment. THE Clearwater Forestclassified as a platform Xeon 6+remains on the schedule for the first half of 2026 and will act as a bridge between the current Xeon 6 and the future Xeon 7.
Unlike Diamond Rapids, which relies on high-performance P-cores, Clearwater Forest is composed exclusively of E-core Darkmont coresreaching up to 288 cores per processor.
To pack this density, Intel uses technology Foveros 3Dstacking 12 computing chiplets on three active bases and two I/O tiles.
The chip is also manufactured at the node Intel 18A and supports memory DDR5-8000 in 12 channelswith bandwidth to support intense parallel workloads like large-scale AI inference.
AMD in front, for now
The Diamond Rapids delay puts Intel in a delicate position as AMD must release the EPYC Venice (Zen 6) in 2026, with up to 256 cores and high-bandwidth memory support, without direct competition from an Intel P-core line for at least a year. AMD’s next generation, the EPYC Veranois scheduled for 2027, coinciding exactly with the arrival of Diamond Rapids.
It is worth remembering that all this information comes from a leak not officially confirmed by Intel.
Semiconductor roadmaps are volatile, and the company itself has already demonstrated the ability to compress or extend deadlines depending on market and manufacturing conditions.
For now, however, the outlook for the coming years in the server segment points to AMD with a time advantage, while Intel prepares a technically ambitious response for 2027.
Between delay and long-term bet
The Diamond Rapids postponed to 2027 represents less an isolated stumble and more a reflection of the choices Intel has made over the past few years: canceling the 8-channel variant, focusing efforts on the 18A node and redesigning the architecture with Panther Cove-X are bets that can pay dividends, but require time.
With 512 P-core cores promised on a single platform and bandwidth of 1.6 TB/s, the Xeon 7 has the potential to be the most forceful response Intel has ever prepared for the Data Center market, as long as it reaches the market on time this time.
Sources): Tom’s Hardware
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