What Intel® Xeon Processors Support for Intel® Trust Domain Extensions (Intel® TDX)?

Intel® Trust Domain Extensions (Intel® TDX) is Intel’s hardware-based confidential virtual machine (CVM) technology that isolates guest VMs from the hypervisor, host OS, and other VMs. Intel positions TDX as the successor to enclave-based approaches (e.g., Intel® SGX) for cloud-scale confidential computing.

Supported Intel® Xeon® Processor Families

4th Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable

(Codename: Sapphire Rapids)

• First Intel Xeon platform to introduce Intel® TDX
• Includes:
  • Standard 4th Gen Xeon Scalable processors
  • Intel® Xeon® CPU Max Series (HBM-enabled Sapphire Rapids variants)
• Key architectural enablers highlighted by Intel:
  • Hardware-isolated virtual machines
  • Per‑VM memory encryption
  • Foundation for confidential VM offerings by CSPs

5th Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable

(Codename: Emerald Rapids)

• Continues Intel® TDX support introduced in Sapphire Rapids
• Focuses on:
  • Improved performance efficiency
  • Platform continuity for confidential VMs
• Intel documentation describes Emerald Rapids as an evolutionary platform, not a change to the TDX trust model

Intel® Xeon® 6 and Intel® Xeon® 6+

• Intel® Xeon® 6 represents Intel’s next-generation Xeon platform, succeeding Xeon Scalable branding
• Intel public materials describe Xeon® 6 platforms as delivering:
  • Advanced security engines
  • Confidential computing capabilities
  • Continuation of hardware-based VM isolation concepts

Not Supported

3rd Generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable and Earlier

(Ice Lake and older)

• Support:
  • Intel® SGX
  • Intel® Total Memory Encryption (TME / TME‑MK)
• Do NOT support Intel® TDX
• Architectural limitations prevent hypervisor‑excluded VM isolation

Intel explicitly distinguishes these generations from later TDX-capable platforms [intel.com]

Why Intel® TDX Is Generation‑Bound

Intel® TDX depends on architectural capabilities introduced starting with Sapphire Rapids, including:

• CPU‑managed VM trust boundaries
• New memory encryption and key management paths
• TDX‑aware VM lifecycle and attestation flows

Earlier Xeon generations lack the required hardware support and cannot gain TDX through firmware or microcode updates [intel.com]

Summary Table

For a complete list of processors compatible with Intel® TDX, visit:

• For 5th Gen Intel® Xeon Scalable processors 
• For Intel® Xeon® 6 processors 

For more details about Intel® TDX technology, visit Intel® TDX Platform Enablement And Validation Requirements (check permissions: CNDA Accounts).