Intel Xeon 6944P socket: LGA 7529

What the Xeon 6944P is

The Xeon 6944P is a 72-core, 144-thread server processor that Intel released in February 2025 as part of the Xeon 6900P series with Performance-cores. It uses the Granite Rapids-AP die on the Intel 3 process. Base clock is 1.8 GHz with maximum turbo up to 3.9 GHz and all-core turbo at 3.1 GHz. Shared L3 cache totals 432 MB, and Intel rates the processor base power at 350 W.

Inside the 6900P stack the 6944P sits at the efficiency end of the 72-core pair. The Intel Xeon 6962P matches it on cores and cache but runs higher clocks at 500 W, while the 120-core Intel Xeon 6978P targets denser virtualization hosts at the same 500 W envelope. Buyers who need 72 P-cores per socket without the top power class choose the 6944P for lower heat per rack unit.

There is no integrated graphics, and the multiplier is locked, which is normal for this class. ECC memory is supported. Each core handles two threads, so the socket presents 144 threads to the operating system before a second socket doubles that count.

Socket and motherboard compatibility

The 6944P fits the LGA 7529 socket, a land grid array with 7,529 contacts on the Birch Stream platform. The package is FCLGA7529 with a BR1A carrier measuring 104.5 mm x 70.5 mm. Only server boards built for this socket accept it. There is no desktop or workstation board option, and LGA 4710 boards do not fit even though they share the Granite Rapids generation.

Scaling covers up to two sockets per system over six UPI links at 24 GT/s. For single-socket or smaller Granite Rapids builds the LGA 4710 platform with its 8-channel memory is the alternative, using different SKUs. Before ordering, confirm the exact processor on the board maker CPU support list, since Birch Stream boards qualify specific SKUs per BIOS revision.

The E-core dense alternative on the same socket is the Intel Xeon 6980E+, a 264-thread Clearwater Forest part for throughput per watt. A buyer deciding between them weighs per-core speed against thread count: P-cores for licensed per-core software and mixed loads, E-cores for dense cloud hosting.

Memory, PCIe and cooling

Memory support is DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s across 12 channels per socket, with up to 3 TB of capacity. Twelve populated channels feed the 72 cores with about 614 GB/s of theoretical bandwidth. Higher MRDIMM speeds that appear on 500 W siblings such as the 6978P are not listed for this 350 W SKU, so plan the bill of materials around DDR5-6400 RDIMMs.

For expansion the processor provides up to 96 lanes of PCIe 5.0 from the CPU with CXL 2.0 on shared lanes for memory expanders and accelerators. Network, NVMe and accelerator cards attach directly to these lanes, while the platform hub carries board devices. Lane counts per slot follow the board layout, so read the block diagram for the exact bifurcation.

Cooling is board specific with vendor-qualified air and liquid heatsinks for the 350 W class. No cooler ships in the box. The CPU cooler compatibility by socket guide explains socket patterns in general, but for LGA 7529 the board vendor heatsink matrix is the deciding document, including 1U, 2U and liquid options.

Upgrade paths

On the same socket the path up from the 6944P stays inside Granite Rapids: the Intel Xeon 6962P keeps 72 cores at higher clocks for 500 W, and the Intel Xeon 6978P moves to 120 cores with 504 MB of cache for virtualization density. Both need power and cooling headroom for the higher envelope plus a BIOS that lists them. Memory and PCIe layouts carry over within the platform.

A move to E-core density on the same boards leads to Clearwater Forest parts such as the Intel Xeon 6980E+, which trades per-core speed for thread count. Moving off LGA 7529 entirely means new boards: LGA 4710 for mainstream Granite Rapids servers or a future platform for later generations. Socket, memory channels and heatsinks all change in that step.