Intel Xeon 6990E+ socket: LGA 7529
The Intel Xeon 6990E+ uses the LGA 7529 socket. It is a 288 core Clearwater Forest server processor with a 2.2 GHz base frequency and boost to 3.2 GHz, 576 MB of cache, and DDR5 memory in 12 channels.
- Socket
- LGA 7529
- Launched
- May 2026
- Cores and threads
- 288 and 288
- Base power
- 450 W
- Codename
- Clearwater Forest
- Segment
- Server
- Family
- Intel Xeon
- Clocks
- 2.2 / 3.2 GHz
Intel Xeon 6990E+ specifications
| Cores | 288 |
|---|---|
| Threads | 288 (single thread per core, no Hyper-Threading) |
| Core architecture | Darkmont (E-cores), 0 P-cores |
| Clocks | 2.2 GHz base, up to 3.2 GHz max turbo (2.8 GHz all-core turbo) |
| Cache | 576 MB |
| Processor base power (TDP) | 450 W |
| Manufacturing process | Intel 18A |
| Memory support | DDR5 RDIMM up to 8000 MT/s, 12 channels, up to 1.5 TB |
| PCI Express | PCIe 5.0, up to 96 lanes |
| Integrated graphics | None |
| ECC memory | Yes |
| Package | FCLGA7529 with carrier BR1B (104.5 mm x 70.5 mm) |
| Scalability | 2S (up to 2 sockets) |
| Launch price | $14995 (Intel RCP at launch) |
Motherboard compatibility
Intel Xeon 6990E+ needs a motherboard with a LGA 7529 socket. Chipset by chipset data for this codename is not recorded yet. See the LGA 7529 chipset list and the board maker's CPU support list.
LGA 7529 at a glance
| Type | LGA, 7,529 contacts |
|---|---|
| Package size | n/a |
| Introduced | September 2024 |
| Memory | DDR5, 12 channels |
| Cooler mounting holes | Board specific (server heatsink) |
What the Xeon 6990E+ is
The Xeon 6990E+ is the 288 core flagship of the Xeon 6+ family under the codename Clearwater Forest. All 288 cores are Darkmont Efficient-cores with no Performance-cores, so the part presents 288 threads to the operating system at one thread per core. The base frequency is 2.2 GHz with maximum turbo to 3.2 GHz and 2.8 GHz all-core turbo. Shared last level cache totals 576 MB, the largest capacity in this batch. Intel positions the part for dense cloud hosts, content delivery nodes, microservices, and scale-out clusters where thread count per rack matters more than single thread speed.
Intel builds the compute tiles on Intel 18A, the first data center use of that process, with base tiles on Intel 3 and I/O tiles on Intel 7. Intel rates the processor base power at 450 W, the highest envelope in this batch. The part carries no integrated graphics, so console display or GPU compute needs a discrete card. Built-in accelerators include four default devices each for QuickAssist, Dynamic Load Balancer, Data Streaming Accelerator, and In-memory Analytics Accelerator. The instruction set centers on AVX2 with AVX-VNNI for vector math, and ECC memory is supported throughout.
The processor launched in May 2026 at 14995 dollars Intel recommended customer price. It sits above the 264 core Xeon 6980E+ and the lower core parts in the same family, giving buyers the maximum threads per socket on the platform. Intel also publishes a second performance profile for the part at 330 W and 1.7 GHz base through Speed Select Technology, which lets operators trade base frequency for a lower envelope on the same silicon.
Socket and motherboard compatibility
The Xeon 6990E+ fits the LGA 7529 socket, a land grid array with 7,529 contacts for large dual socket servers. The package is FCLGA7529 with carrier BR1B and measures 104.5 mm x 70.5 mm. Scalability is 2S, so single socket and dual socket server boards built for Clearwater Forest parts are the expected match. Compatibility still follows the board vendor CPU support list for each model, including the minimum BIOS revision that carries the processor microcode.
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 server boards qualify processors individually. There is no retail chipset pick to copy, so buyers confirm the Xeon 6990E+ on the vendor list with the planned BIOS revision before ordering memory or heatsinks. The smaller LGA 4710 platform uses 8 memory channels against 12 here, and its parts do not fit this socket.
A dual socket pair joins over six UPI links at 24 GT/s for coherent traffic between the two processors. Two sockets give 576 cores and 576 threads in one system. Heatsink choice follows the board vendor list for 450 W parts, with air and liquid options qualified per chassis and airflow direction. There is no boxed cooler, so integrators size cooling for continuous load at high thread count rather than base power alone.
Memory, PCIe and cooling
The memory controller supports DDR5 RDIMM up to 8000 MT/s with one DIMM per channel across 12 channels, up to 1.5 TB per socket. ECC is supported, and the twelve channel layout gives 768.0 GB/s of theoretical bandwidth. The 8000 MT/s rating applies at one DIMM per channel, so vendors publish tested layouts for full capacity and population beyond that mark lowers the rate. That bandwidth suits memory hungry hosts that serve many tenants from one node.
For I/O the chip provides PCI Express 5.0 with up to 96 lanes from the processor for network cards, NVMe storage, and accelerators. The platform also carries 64 CXL 2.0 lanes shared with PCI Express for memory expansion and coherent accelerators. Six UPI links at 24 GT/s handle socket to socket traffic in dual socket systems. That combination suits hosts that feed many fast network ports and drive arrays from one node.
Power and cooling center on 450 W base power, 98 degrees C maximum junction from the digital sensor, and 76 degrees C maximum case temperature. Firmware sets sustained and burst limits, and rack planners should budget power and airflow for continuous load at high thread count rather than base power alone. The 104.5 mm x 70.5 mm package uses the server carrier and retention mechanism of the board, not a desktop socket lever and clip.
Upgrade paths
Within LGA 7529 the step down is a lower core Clearwater Forest part such as the Xeon 6980E+ with 264 cores, the Xeon 6970E+ with 192 cores, or the Xeon 6960E+ with 144 cores on the same board family where power and cooling allow. That move trims thread count and cache while keeping 12 channel memory and 96 PCIe lanes, so it helps fleets that need less density per node at lower power. The vendor list shows which lower parts the board and BIOS revision accept, and cooling may stay in place where the envelope falls.
A change of platform means a new board and new memory population. Moving from a LGA 4710 board to this platform requires different boards, heatsinks, and firmware rather than a drop in replacement, plus ECC RDIMM memory in 12 channels instead of smaller layouts. Buyers moving from a desktop socket should plan for server chassis, redundant power, and vendor qualified cooling rather than retail parts.
For systems that keep the Xeon 6990E+, growth comes from memory and I/O before a CPU change. Adding capacity toward 1.5 TB, adding drives and network cards, or attaching accelerators over CXL uses the platform before thread count forces a move. When per node throughput still limits the workload, a second socket with the same part doubles cores and threads without leaving the platform.
Frequently asked questions
What socket does the Intel Xeon 6990E+ use?
The Intel Xeon 6990E+ uses LGA 7529. It fits single socket and dual socket server boards built for Clearwater Forest parts in the FCLGA7529 package. Always confirm the part on the board vendor CPU support list with the planned BIOS revision.
What does the E+ suffix in Xeon 6990E+ mean?
Intel groups the part under Xeon 6+ processors on ARK and lists 288 Efficient-cores with 0 Performance-cores, so buyers read E+ as the E-core branch of the Xeon 6+ family. The plus sign matches the family name rather than a higher clock tier.
How many threads does the Xeon 6990E+ have, and does it use Hyper-Threading?
The part has 288 threads, one per core. ARK lists 288 total threads against 288 Efficient-cores and 0 Performance-cores, and these E-cores run a single thread each, so there is no Hyper-Threading to enable or license per core.
Can two Xeon 6990E+ processors work together?
Yes. Scalability is 2S, so two Xeon 6990E+ processors work together over six UPI links at 24 GT/s. A dual socket system then offers 576 cores and 576 threads with shared access to 12 channel memory per socket.
Sources and verification
- Intel Xeon 6990E+ Processor specifications (Intel ARK)
- Intel Xeon 6990E+ Specs (TechPowerUp CPU Database)
Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .