Intel has been moving away from traditional multithreading, starting with the 12th‑Gen Core CPUs and the shift to asymmetrical designs where only performance cores support SMT. The consumer line, notably the Core Ultra 200 series, dropped Hyper‑Threading entirely, yet the company still uses it in the P‑Core Xeon 6 Granite Rapids, which can host up to 128 P‑cores and 256 threads.

Meanwhile, the Clearwater Forest E‑Core Xeon 6 offers 288 E‑cores but no Hyper‑Threading, and the upcoming Xeon 7 Diamond Rapids P‑Core SKUs will have 192 cores and 192 threads, also without SMT. Intel’s roadmap signals a return of Hyper‑Threading next year with the Xeon 8 Coral Rapids.

CEO Lip‑Bu Tan emphasized that multithreading will return in 2028, aligning with Intel’s 14A node high‑volume manufacturing. The 14A node will power Coral Rapids’ compute tile, benefiting from yield improvements, advanced packaging, and the Foundry division’s capabilities.

Intel’s strategy balances single‑thread performance with a phased reintroduction of SMT, aiming to stay competitive against rivals by boosting both core efficiency and multithreaded capability.