Intel just dropped a big one-- 22 cores big.

Dubbed the Xeon E5-2600 V4, the new processor features 22 Broadwell cores. When paired with Hyper Threading, the CPU can handle 44 threads at a time.

While 22 cores will likely not be squeezing into a MacBook (or a MacBook’s price point), there are implications for some Mac consumers. Mac Pros have featured core-heavy processors (presently including two 12-core configurations). With Intel breaking the 20 core barrier, this could be an indicator of things to come for the workhorses of the Mac lineup.

The most immediate impacts will be for datacenters, where computers with comparable hardware can manipulate floods of information and execute many more tasks at a time. With AMD’s 32-core ZEN processor in the pipeline, Intel may be trying to gain share by showing up to the party first.

We’re officially into 20+ core processor territory. It will be interesting to see how things play out, both in the data center and at home, as the race ahead continues.