Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan has confirmed that Hyper-Threading (Intel's version of SMT) will return to its server CPUs with the Xeon 8 'Coral Rapids' family in 2028, after being absent from the next-gen Xeon 7 'Diamond Rapids' chips arriving in 2027. The move is aimed at boosting multithreaded performance to better compete with AMD in the data center.
Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed on the company's recent earnings call that Hyper-Threading is set to make a comeback in Intel's server lineup with the Xeon 8 'Coral Rapids' processors, expected in 2028. According to TechPowerUp and HotHardware, Tan told analysts, "We have Clearwater Forest, Diamond Rapids, and also Coral Rapids with the SMT involved... Multithreading will be coming in the Coral Rapids."
This is notable because Intel has been steadily moving away from Hyper-Threading across its lineup. The company dropped it entirely from consumer CPUs starting with the Core Ultra 200 series, and the upcoming Xeon 7 'Diamond Rapids' P-core chips — expected in 2027 with up to 192 cores — will also ship without it. Coral Rapids would reverse that trend for at least one generation of Xeon 8 server chips.
Per HotHardware, Hyper-Threading can deliver as much as a 30% boost in multi-core performance under medium-load server scenarios, which Intel appears to need as it works to close the gap with AMD's latest server processors. Details remain thin: Coral Rapids is expected to start with 8-channel memory chips (versus the 16-channel Diamond Rapids), and could be built on Intel's 14A node or a refined 18A-P process, though the exact core architecture hasn't been disclosed.
For context, Hyper-Threading was removed from client CPUs because the extra silicon needed to support it is largely wasted on typical desktop workloads once core counts climb into double digits — removing it instead saves power, die area, and slightly improves single-threaded performance. Server workloads are a different story, which is why Intel is bringing SMT back specifically for its data center chips rather than consumer parts.
What We Know
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Codename | Coral Rapids (Xeon 8) |
| Expected Timeframe | 2028 |
| Key Feature | Hyper-Threading (SMT) returns |
| Predecessor | Xeon 7 'Diamond Rapids' (2027, no Hyper-Threading, 192 cores/192 threads) |
| Memory Channels | Expected to start with 8-channel memory configurations |
| Possible Process Node | Intel 14A or a late-stage 18A-P refinement |
| Core Type | P-core Xeon family |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Intel Coral Rapids?
Coral Rapids is the codename for Intel's Xeon 8 server CPU family, expected in 2028, which will reintroduce Hyper-Threading (SMT) after it's dropped from the 2027 Xeon 7 'Diamond Rapids' chips.
Will Coral Rapids have Hyper-Threading?
Yes. Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan confirmed on an earnings call that multithreading (Hyper-Threading) is coming back with Coral Rapids.
When is Coral Rapids expected to launch?
According to the sources, Coral Rapids is expected in 2028, a year after the Xeon 7 'Diamond Rapids' launch in 2027.
Why did Intel remove Hyper-Threading in the first place?
Intel removed Hyper-Threading from consumer CPUs because the extra silicon needed to support it is largely wasted on typical client workloads, and removing it saves power and die area while slightly improving single-threaded performance.
