AMD has officially launched its EPYC 8004-series processors, introducing the Siena CPU range, a new addition to its core roadmap. These processors boast a new SP6 socket and offer up to 64 Zen-4c cores with 128 threads. The EPYC family now includes Genoa (high performance), Genoa-X (big cache), Bergamo (cloud native), and the latest entrant, Siena.
Powerful Offerings Among the new releases, the single-socket 8534P stands out as a top-of-the-line model. It features a base frequency of 2.3GHz, 128MB L3 cache, and a 200W TDP. Additionally, there’s a network-specialized version (PN) catering to edge-optimized and communication servers. The PN variant has a lower TDP, a reduced base frequency, but a wider operating temperature range.
Competing with Intel While the PN parts may be slower, they come at a higher price point, approximately 10% more expensive. However, AMD’s overall pricing remains competitive compared to the equivalent Intel counterparts. These new processors are set to go head-to-head with a range of Xeon processors from Intel, spanning Gold, Silver, Bronze, and D-series, with power ratings between 96W and 185W.
AMD’s Advantages AMD’s EPYC 8004-series processors offer significant advantages in terms of core count and memory support. With up to 64 cores and 128 threads, as well as support for up to 6TB of memory, they outshine Intel’s offerings, which max out at 32 cores and 64 threads with 4TB of memory support. AMD’s benchmark results showcase their superiority, even when pitted against a 300W part like the Xeon 8471N, which has fewer cores, a smaller cache, and a lower clock speed.
Expanding to Consumer Range AMD’s Zen 4c CPU microarchitecture is already making its way from business to consumer products. The Ryzen Z1, introduced earlier this year, is one such example. Zen 4c shares the same IPC (instructions per clock) as Zen 4 but differs mainly in L3 cache capacity. AMD has noted that a Zen 4c core is smaller and more cost-effective to produce. It also dissipates less heat, making it a potential candidate for SMB servers in the future.
As AMD continues to innovate and expand its processor offerings, it presents a compelling challenge to Intel in both performance and price competitiveness.
