Fujitsu shows Monaka, 144-core ARM CPU to compete with Xeon and Epyc

Fujitsu has been working on Monaka, its new data center and server processor, for some time. The component is developed in partnership with Broadcom and Supermicro, and has now just received a new mechanical sample. With the disclosure, the companies revealed some details of the CPU.

Monaka is based on ARM and its first version appears with 144 cores, divided into four 36-stacked chiplets. For this design, Broadcom’s 3.5D eXtreme Dimension technology is used. The chiplets are made using TSMC’s 2nm process (N2), and the core stack sits on top of the SRAM blocks, with a hybrid copper connection (HCB).

Interestingly, Fujitsu chose not to adopt HBM for the processor, probably aiming to keep its costs more affordable. The SRAM blocks are made on TSMC’s 5nm N5 process.

The Monaka is compatible with PCIe 6.0 and CXL 3.0, in addition to other interfaces that are expected in a new processor aimed at servers. The folks at Tom’s Hardware point out that the component incorporates SVE2 (Scalable Vector Extensions 2), but Fujitsu did not reveal the extension of the vectors, which can range from 128 to 2048 bits.

The Monaka represents yet another front of competition for the ARM architecture against the more widespread x86, which we find in Intel and AMD processors. Even by investing in this technology, Fujitsu is expected to promote energy efficiency and cost-benefit as the differentiator of its new CPUs, in relation to Xeon and Epyc.

Related news:

The traditional Japanese technology company promised the launch of the first Monaka processor for fiscal year 2027. The period corresponds to April 1, 2026 until March 31, 2027, so we still have about two years to wait to see the finished product.

Source: Tom’s Hardware