Rocket Lake is a mainstream S and U product line ( https://en.wikichip.org/wiki/intel/microarchitectures/rocket_lake ) It isn't what Intel is doing on the SP ( and likely W ) line up at all.
Got pointers to there there is definitive backporting or folks just hoping? Stuff like this
"... The Sunny Cove microarchitecture is the first new design that can be used on multiple nodes, and even though Intel has stated the new core will debut on the 10nm node, ...and it means Intel could choose to use Sunny Cove with 14nm processors as well. ... "
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/intel-sunny-cove-gen11-xe-gpu-foveros,5932-4.html
is a bit wishful. Sunny Cove cranks up cache sizes and also has bigger AVX512 unit. Without a process shrink the die would grow substantially in size. Intel could do it but the max core count would drop. I suppose Intel could do that if they simply just wanted to do 4 core max , max clock hot rod chips. But that has next to nothing to do with the Mac Pro ( or iMac Pro or Mini or somewhat likely iMac ). Certainly not for Apple's laptops. Intel is already cranking up the die size to do 10 core for Comet Lake. Cranking it up again for that same bump in core count seems a bit much.
"Rocket" is a decent indication of possible of being some kind of 'hot rod' chip.
It may be I/O chipset and socket compatible. What seems to be spelled out explictlly on roadmaps in that at least a version variants will be coupled to 10nm Xe GPU solutions. Rocket Lake may also have a refactored solutions for the security "band aids" that Intel has added so far ( often more fixed stuffed into default loaded microcode than a real silicon level fixes. ).
That is not what Intel is doing in the Xeon SP space. The Xeon W has historically taken modified die from that queue since "core count" is a check list feature in this space.
"... At present, Intel is already sampling Cooper Lake and Ice Lake processors with customers, and claims that it is on track to ship these CPUs in volumes in the first half of next year. ..."
https://www.anandtech.com/show/14314/intel-xeon-update-ice-lake-and-cooper-lake-sampling
Ice Lake SP probably isn't going to increase core count over the Cooper Lake solutions. There is no "back port" queue up either.
"...Following the Ice Lake Xeon in 2020, Intel plans to release 'Sapphire Rapids' processors for servers in 2021. These chips will likely be made using Intel’s 10++ nm process technology and will rely on a new microarchitecture along with various enhancements to optimize performance in various workloads. ... "
[ Sapphire rapid's corer is Willow Cove which cranks up the baseline transistor budget even more with even bigger caches. ]
For SP and W chips Intel is just going bigger in package and socket size to cover that they are behind the curve on shrinkage. Higher product price tags will absorb some of that 'blow'.
It isn't a dead process. Intel has spent way to many billions adding to 14nm capacity to walk away from 10nm completely in a very short period of time. The same equipment can be used for 10nm. It just takes longer to "bake" than 14nm. Intel is also looking to farm off more chipset and secondary stuff to 3rd parties. ( again looks like they are opening up more room for higher margin CPU production that takes more than average space ).
Intel's 7nm is different fab equipment that you just don't pick up at the local electronics store. If didn't order it 2-3 years ago then not going to get it in 2020.
What Intel is calling 10+ and 10++nm is substantially different than what they first tried at 10nm. Intel probably won't make any huge progress on core count but it will work. Especially at the relatively lower clocks in the Sever level products ( where more workloads are highly to massively either parallel or concurrent). 10nm isn't going to be a good drag racing node but Intel doesn't need a "drag racing" chip in this space much at all.
Chuckle ....... and TR3 comes in at 280W TDP and the W 3245 (16 core) comes in at 205W TDP.
Ryzen is highly unlikely to be every used in a Mac Pro. iMac's perhaps
It would have zero impact on the iMac Pro noise level.
The iMac ..... if Apple chucks the 3.5" HDD and similarly upgraded the thermal system, then itcould easy fall into the same category.
