Intel's upcoming Falcon Shores GPU is shaping up to be a powerhouse for AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads, but it will also be an extreme power hog. The processor, combining Gaudi and Ponte Vecchio successors into a single GPU, is expected to consume an astonishing 1500 W of power - more than even Nvidia's beefy B200 accelerator, which draws 1000 W. This immense power consumption will require advanced cooling solutions to ensure the Falcon Shores GPU operates efficiently and safely. Intel's partners may turn to liquid cooling or even full immersion liquid cooling, a technology Intel has been promoting for power-hungry data center hardware. The high power draw is the cost of the Falcon Shores GPU's formidable performance promises. Intel claims it will deliver 5x higher performance per watt and 5x more memory capacity and bandwidth compared to its Ponte Vecchio products.

Intel may need to develop proprietary hardware modules or a new Open Accelerator Module (OAM) spec to support such extreme power levels, as the current OAM 2.0 tops out around 1000 W. Slated for release in 2025, the Falcon Shores GPU will be Intel's GPU IP based on its next-gen Xe graphics architecture. It aims to be a major player in the AI accelerator market, backed by Intel's robust oneAPI software development ecosystem. While the 1500 W power consumption is sure to raise eyebrows, Intel is betting that the Falcon Shores GPU's supposedly impressive performance will make it an enticing option for AI and HPC customers willing to invest in robust cooling infrastructure. The ultra-high-end accelerator market is heating up, and the HPC accelerator market needs a Ponte Vecchio successor.

GIGABYTE Technology, an IT pioneer whose focus is to advance global industries through cloud and AI computing systems, is coming to MWC 2024 with its next-generation servers empowering telcos, cloud service providers, enterprises, and SMBs to swiftly harness the value of 5G and AI. Featured is a cutting-edge AI server boasting AMD Instinct MI300X 8-GPU, and a comprehensive AI/HPC server series supporting the latest chip technology from AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA. The showcase will also feature integrated green computing solutions excelling in heat dissipation and energy reduction.

Continuing the booth theme "Future of COMPUTING", GIGABYTE's presentation will cover servers for AI/HPC, RAN and Core networks, modular edge platforms, all-in-one green computing solutions, and AI-powered self-driving technology. The exhibits will demonstrate how industries extend AI applications from cloud to edge and terminal devices through 5G connectivity, expanding future opportunities with faster time to market and sustainable operations. The showcase spans from February 26th to 29th at Booth #5F60, Hall 5, Fira Gran Via, Barcelona.

A leaked roadmap (that seems to be authored) by Giga Computing provides an interesting peak into the future of next generation enterprise-oriented CPUs and GPUs. TDP details of Intel, AMD and NVIDIA hardware are featured within the presentation slide - and all indications point to a trend of continued power consumption growth. Intel's server CPU lineups, including fourth generation Sapphire Rapids-SP and fifth-gen Emerald Rapids-SP Xeon chips, are projected to hit maximum TGPs of 350 W by mid-2024. Team Blue's sixth gen Granite Rapids is expected to arrive in the latter half of 2024, and Gigabyte's leaked roadmap points to a push into 500 W territories going forward into 2025.

AMD's Zen 5-based Turin server CPUs are expected to ship by the second half of 2024, and power consumption is estimated to hit a maximum of 600 W - representing a 50% increase over the Zen 4-based Genoa family. The 2024 NVIDIA PCIe GPU lineup is likely hitting TDPs of up to 500 W, it is rumored that these enterprise cards will be based on the Blackwell chip architecture - set to succeed current generation H100 "Hopper" PCIe accelerators (featuring 350-450 W TDPs). It is possible that AMD's Instinct-class PCIe accelerator family will become the direct competition, these cards are rated up to 400 W. The AMD Instinct MI250 OAM category has a maximum rating of 560 W. The NVIDIA Grace and Grace Hopper CPU Superchips are said to feature 600 W and 1000 W TDPs (respectively).