Intel Xeon 6+ Clearwater Forest processors now appear as a four-chip server lineup in Intel’s product database, all listed with Q2 2026 launch dates. The official figures settle the basic menu: 144 to 288 cores, 330 W to 450 W TDP, and identical listed 3.2 GHz maximum turbo frequencies. They do not settle which chip is the best buy, because that depends on whether a deployment needs maximum aggregate capacity or more resources per core.
Intel calls the family Xeon 6+ and says it was formerly codenamed Clearwater Forest. Its ARK database lists the 6990E+, 6980E+, 6970E+, and 6960E+. The 6990E+ is the capacity leader at 288 cores, while the 6960E+ carries the highest listed base frequency, 2.4 GHz, and the lowest listed TDP, 330 W.
What are the Xeon 6+ Clearwater Forest specifications?
Intel’s official listing provides the following specifications. Cache-per-core figures are derived by dividing Intel’s listed cache capacity by the core count, rather than a separate Intel specification.
Xeon 6990E+: 288 cores, 576 MB cache, 2 MB cache per core, 2.2 GHz base frequency, 3.2 GHz maximum turbo frequency, and 450 W TDP.
Xeon 6980E+: 264 cores, 528 MB cache, 2 MB cache per core, 2.1 GHz base frequency, 3.2 GHz maximum turbo frequency, and 400 W TDP.
Xeon 6970E+: 192 cores, 480 MB cache, 2.5 MB cache per core, 2.3 GHz base frequency, 3.2 GHz maximum turbo frequency, and 400 W TDP.
Xeon 6960E+: 144 cores, 432 MB cache, 3 MB cache per core, 2.4 GHz base frequency, 3.2 GHz maximum turbo frequency, and 330 W TDP.
The maximum-turbo number should not be mistaken for an all-core operating result. Intel’s listing labels 3.2 GHz as maximum turbo frequency. Separate reporting by LavX News, citing ServeTheHome, says the 6990E+ can run at an average 2.8 GHz all-core turbo in a 450 W mode or 2.4 GHz in a 330 W mode. Those are reported mode-specific figures, not the general ARK specification.
Which Xeon 6+ model offers the best value?
Reported pricing points toward the 6960E+ for buyers counting cores per dollar, though Intel’s supplied product listings do not confirm prices. LavX News reported list prices of just over $4,600 for the 6960E+, about $7,700 for the 6970E+, $9,900 for the 6980E+, and nearly $15,000 for the 6990E+.
Using those rounded prices, the rough result is about 31 cores per $1,000 for the 6960E+, 25 for the 6970E+, 27 for the 6980E+, and 19 for the 6990E+. Those calculations are directional only. List-price rounding, negotiated server pricing, memory, cooling, and platform costs can all rearrange an actual purchase order.
The trade-off is straightforward. The 6990E+ offers the most cores and is the part to consider for the highest aggregate throughput. The lower-core models offer more cache per core, and LavX News reported greater estimated memory bandwidth per core and higher reported all-core clock behavior for the 6960E+. The two middle models are capacity-price compromises rather than obvious default choices.
There are no workload benchmarks or test methodology in the material reviewed here, so none of these specifications proves application performance. Intel also says its product information may change and directs buyers to system vendors for system-specific details. Treat this as a shortlist, then test the workload that will actually pay for the server.
This story draws on original reporting from ServeTheHome.
