Weird MCM Based Intel Xeon SoMa Processors Spotted Online, House 4 Dies Per CPU

[Mark-x]

Okay, time for something spicey that has just come down the grapevine. One of our favorite twitter accounts, Momomo_US, initially posted a weird-looking processor that was hosting 4 MCM-dies. The IHS of the processor looks distinctly like that of Intel and I decided to do a bit of digging around and boy did I find a lot of trails. Before I get on with all the gory details, I just wanted to remind you to mind that rumor tag and keep a jar of salt handy. Intel has never admitted to pursuing an MCM-based strategy but if this CPU turns out to be anything other than a very large scale hoax (unlikely), it would indicate that they have at the very least, tested MCM designs in their labs.

Okay before you get all excited, I will preface this story by saying that this is almost certainly a very old part - and not a leak of a new and upcoming SKU - so even in the very best case scenario it simply prooves that Intel dabbled in MCM designs. In fact, the packaging puts it at an LGA 1156-ish design and the batch number puts this CPU as having been made almost 4 years ago. The package was made in Malaysia.

The IHS design also puts it in the bracket of the Skylake family which makes me believe this is something they started testing shortly after that. You can watch a full video of the CPU being delidded over here.

The lack of transistors/SMDs on the package mean this is not a working processor and simply an early demo chip - this is further corroborated by that very weird part number and the lack of an Intel Confidential logo (a standard Intel logo without the words Intel in the center). The fact that "MALAY" is mentioned on the packaging also further corroborates this theory since Intel has three testing/packaging sites based there: PG8, KM5 and KMO (in Penang and Kulim).

Here is where things get exciting though. The dies shown here are close in size to dual-core Skylake dies and 4 dies would make this an 8 core chip. Queue memes about Intel had octacore chips before it was cool, not too early okay The fact that this chip was made roughly four years ago means that if this was something Intel was actively pursuing they would have had ample time to perfect the technique and implement it.