Intel Xeon 696X socket: LGA 4710
The Intel Xeon 696X uses the LGA 4710 socket. It is a 64 core Granite Rapids server processor with a 2.4 GHz base frequency and boost to 4.8 GHz, plus 8 channel DDR5 memory and 128 lanes of PCI Express 5.0.
- Socket
- LGA 4710
- Launched
- February 2026
- Cores and threads
- 64 and 128
- Base power
- 350 W
- Codename
- Granite Rapids
- Segment
- Server
- Family
- Intel Xeon
- Clocks
- 2.4 / 4.8 GHz
Intel Xeon 696X specifications
| Cores | 64 |
|---|---|
| Threads | 128 (with Hyper-Threading) |
| Clocks | 2.4 GHz base, up to 4.8 GHz boost (3.5 GHz all-core) |
| Cache | 336 MB |
| Processor base power (TDP) | 350 W |
| Maximum turbo power | 420 W |
| Manufacturing process | Intel 3 |
| Memory support | DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s, MRDIMM up to 8000 MT/s, 8 channels, up to 4 TB |
| PCI Express | PCIe 5.0, up to 128 lanes |
| Integrated graphics | None |
| ECC memory | Yes |
| Package | FCLGA4710 |
| Scalability | 1S (1 socket only) |
| Launch price | $6159 (Intel RCP at launch) |
Motherboard compatibility
Intel Xeon 696X needs a motherboard with a LGA 4710 socket. Chipset by chipset data for this codename is not recorded yet. See the LGA 4710 chipset list and the board maker's CPU support list.
LGA 4710 at a glance
| Type | LGA, 4,710 contacts |
|---|---|
| Package size | n/a |
| Introduced | June 2024 |
| Memory | DDR5, 8 channels |
| Cooler mounting holes | Board specific (server heatsink) |
What the Xeon 696X is
The Xeon 696X is a 64 core server processor from the Xeon 6 family under the codename Granite Rapids. All 64 cores are Performance-cores, and with Hyper-Threading the part presents 128 threads. The base frequency is 2.4 GHz with maximum turbo to 4.8 GHz through Turbo Boost Max 3.0, 4.6 GHz through Turbo Boost 2.0, and 3.5 GHz all-core turbo. The shared last level cache totals 336 MB, the same capacity as the flagship 86 core part. Intel aims the part at rendering, simulation, software builds, and virtualization hosts that scale across dozens of threads.
Intel rates the processor base power at 350 W with maximum turbo power at 420 W. The part is built on Intel 3 and carries no integrated graphics, so display output or GPU compute needs a discrete card. Scalability is 1S, which means each system uses exactly one Xeon 696X. ECC memory is supported, and the feature set includes AVX-512 with two FMA units per core plus AMX with FP16 acceleration for AI math. The X suffix marks an unlocked multiplier for tuning on boards that permit it.
The processor launched in the first quarter of 2026 with tray pricing at 6159 dollars Intel recommended customer price. Intel announced the Xeon 600 family in February 2026, and the 696X is one of five SKUs sold boxed at retail for custom builds alongside distribution through hardware partners. It gives buyers nearly the cache and I/O of the flagship with 22 fewer cores and a lower price.
Socket and motherboard compatibility
The Xeon 696X fits the LGA 4710 socket, a land grid array with 4,710 contacts that also hosts Sierra Forest parts. The package is FCLGA4710. Intel lists the W890 chipset among compatible products, so single socket workstation and server boards built for that platform are the natural match. Compatibility still follows the board vendor CPU support list for each model, including the minimum BIOS revision that carries Granite Rapids microcode.
The socket file for this site carries no desktop chipset groups, so there is no retail chipset pick to copy. The Socket vs chipset: what decides whether a CPU works explains how socket fit differs from chipset and firmware support, and that distinction matters here because workstation boards qualify processors individually. Buyers should confirm the Xeon 696X on the vendor list with the planned BIOS revision before ordering memory or cooling.
Because the part is 1S only, dual socket boards are not an option. Cooling follows the board vendor list for 350 W parts, which in practice means large tower air coolers with server airflow or custom liquid loops qualified per chassis. Boxed retail units ship without a thermal solution. System integrators size cooling for the 420 W maximum turbo power so the processor can hold boost under sustained all core load.
Memory, PCIe and cooling
The memory controller supports DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in 8 channels with up to 4 TB per socket, plus MRDIMM memory up to 8000 MT/s on supported boards. ECC is supported, and RDIMM types fit the enterprise use case. Final speed follows DIMM population per channel, so two DIMMs per channel lowers the rate and vendors publish tested layouts for full capacity. Eight channels give 409.6 GB/s of theoretical bandwidth at DDR5-6400, which feeds the 64 cores in bandwidth heavy rendering and simulation.
For I/O the chip provides PCI Express 5.0 with up to 128 lanes for multiple GPUs, NVMe storage, and high speed networking at full Gen 5 bandwidth. With no UPI links active, all traffic stays inside the single socket or moves over PCIe and CXL 2.0. The platform also carries DMI 4.0 to the board controller for management and onboard devices. Board layouts can split the 128 lanes into as many as seven x16 slots depending on the vendor design.
Power and cooling center on 350 W base with 420 W maximum turbo. Firmware sets sustained and burst limits, and rack planners should budget power and airflow for continuous load at full turbo rather than base power alone. The package uses the server carrier and retention mechanism of the board, not a desktop socket lever and clip. A 350 W envelope in a single socket demands front to back airflow and a chassis rated for continuous workstation duty.
Upgrade paths
Within LGA 4710 the single step up is the 86 core Xeon 698X on the same board where cooling and budget allow. That move keeps 336 MB of cache, 8 memory channels, and 128 PCIe lanes while adding 22 cores for heavily threaded rendering and simulation. The vendor list shows whether the board and BIOS revision accept the flagship part, and cooling rated for 420 W maximum turbo carries over between the two.
A larger change of platform means a new board and new memory population. The LGA 7529 platform serves the biggest Granite Rapids server configurations with more memory channels, and reaching it requires different boards, heatsinks, and firmware rather than a drop in replacement. Buyers moving from a desktop socket should plan for workstation chassis, high capacity power, and ECC RDIMM memory rather than desktop DIMMs.
For systems built around the 696X, the board, memory, and I/O define the ceiling. Populating all 8 memory channels and spreading GPUs and NVMe drives across the 128 lanes keeps the 64 cores fed. When a workload outgrows one socket entirely, the step is a second system or a larger platform, not a second 696X in the same board.
Frequently asked questions
What socket does the Intel Xeon 696X use?
The Intel Xeon 696X uses LGA 4710. It fits single socket workstation and server boards built for Granite Rapids parts. Always confirm the part on the board vendor CPU support list.
What memory does the Xeon 696X support?
DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s in 8 channels up to 4 TB with ECC, plus MRDIMM up to 8000 MT/s on supported boards. Final speed follows the DIMM type and population per channel.
How many PCIe lanes does the Xeon 696X provide?
Up to 128 lanes of PCI Express 5.0 for multiple GPUs, NVMe storage, and high speed networking. The part has no active UPI links and runs in single socket systems only.
Can two Xeon 696X processors work together?
No. Scalability is 1S, so each system uses exactly one Xeon 696X. The same socket Xeon 698X adds 22 cores for workloads that scale further.
Sources and verification
- Intel Xeon 696X Processor specifications (Intel ARK)
- Intel Xeon 696X Specs (TechPowerUp CPU Database)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .