Months ago Intel Linux engineers began [1]adapting the Linux kernel to end the assumptions made around "Family 6" for Intel CPUs that had been used since the 90's with the Pentium Pro as the CPU family ID. With Linux 6.12 [2]they finished the Intel CPU family/model ID restructuring and now we have the first patch confirming a post-Family 6 Intel CPU: Diamond Rapids is Family 19.

With a patch posted today to the Linux kernel mailing list, Intel Family 19 is introduced with the first part being Xeon Diamond Rapids with a Panther Cove X core. Intel Xeon Diamond Rapids will take on Family 19 Model 1 for its identification.

[3]The patch is straight forward and marks the coming end of the era for all the Intel Family 6 usage. Now onto Family 19. The Linux patch also adds Panther Lake as one of the last Family 6 parts and carrying a model ID of 204.

Diamond Rapids is the successor to Intel Xeon Granite Rapids. Besides being Family 19, it will be interesting to see what new features it brings especially given the recent Intel Linux kernel work around FRED, AVX10, X86S, and other interesting low-level changes.



[1] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-CPU-Family-6-Ending

[2] https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-VFM-Family-6-Done-Linux

[3] https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/20240923173750.16874-1-tony.luck@intel.com/