Intel Xeon 6738P socket: LGA 4710

What the Xeon 6738P is

The Intel Xeon 6738P is a 32-core scalable member of the Xeon 6 Granite Rapids stack on Socket LGA 4710. It runs 32 Performance-cores with Hyper-Threading for 64 threads at 2.9 GHz base with boost to 4.2 GHz and 4.1 GHz all-core turbo, backed by 144 MB of cache and a 270 W TDP. Intel launched the 6700P and 6500P range on February 24, 2025 at a 7325 USD recommended price, built on Intel 3 for clusters up to 8 sockets.

Thirty-two fast cores suit databases, analytics clouds, scale-out HPC partitions and large virtualization estates where per-thread speed and socket count both matter. The 2.9 GHz base leads the scalable 32-core band, while all-core bursts to 4.1 GHz hold parallel jobs at high frequency. Four UPI links at 24 GT/s tie up to 8 sockets into one shared-memory node.

Against the 32-core Intel Xeon 6737P below it, the 6738P trades socket count flexibility the other way: 8-socket scaling against dual-socket simplicity at similar clocks. Against the 48-core Intel Xeon 6748P above it, the 6738P trims cores for frequency-first licenses. See Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works for how socket, platform and firmware fit together on server boards.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 6738P fits LGA 4710 in the FCLGA4710 package, measuring 77.5 × 56.5 mm. Boards support up to 8 sockets with this scalable part, so one 6738P fills a frequency node or groups with identical 6738P parts in large clusters. LGA 4710 boards are platform designs with vendor-qualified power delivery, memory lists and firmware.

Granite Rapids shares the LGA 4710 socket with Sierra Forest E-core parts, so a board can host either family where the vendor lists it, after a BIOS update where needed. Multi-socket builds require identical part numbers in every socket. Moving from any other socket is a full platform change with board, memory and heatsinks replaced together.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory on LGA 4710 for this class is DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in eight channels. Eight channels at these rates keep 64 threads per socket supplied in database and analytics mixes. Population order varies by board, so the vendor memory list governs every build, with matched DIMMs across sockets.

PCI Express connectivity is Gen 5 with up to 88 lanes on multi-socket designs. That lane budget feeds NVMe fabrics, 100-gigabit and faster networking and accelerators without lane sharing pressure. Lane bifurcation follows board firmware, so architects confirm slot maps before committing to a cluster layout.

Cooling follows the board vendor list for the 270 W class. No cooler ships with the tray server part. Firmware power limits can cap draw below the default where a cabinet demands it, at some cost in sustained clocks.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket, the path up from the 6738P starts with the 48-core Intel Xeon 6748P for more threads on LGA 4710 boards with 8-socket topologies. The 48-core Intel Xeon 6740P beside it trades scaling for dual-socket density. Each move keeps memory investments where the board allows, plus a BIOS that already supports Granite Rapids.

The step down to the 32-core Intel Xeon 6737P keeps similar clocks on simpler dual-socket boards. A move to BGA 4368 is a different soldered platform with single-socket edge nodes. That change replaces board, memory and cooling from scratch.