AMD Epyc: Architecting the Future of Server Computing
An in-depth exploration of AMD's Epyc server microprocessors, covering their history, architecture, generations, and specifications.
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Introduction to Epyc
Core Identity
AMD's Epyc brand represents a line of multi-core x86-64 microprocessors meticulously designed for the server and embedded system markets. Launched in June 2017, Epyc processors are built upon AMD's innovative Zen microarchitecture, delivering substantial performance and efficiency gains for demanding enterprise workloads.
Market Focus
Epyc CPUs are engineered with enterprise-grade features that distinguish them from desktop counterparts. These include higher core counts, expanded PCI Express lanes, support for larger memory capacities, ECC memory validation, and enhanced CPU cache configurations. They are optimized for high-performance computing (HPC), cloud computing, AI, and data analytics environments.
Interconnectivity
A key architectural element is the use of AMD's Infinity Fabric interconnect. This technology facilitates seamless communication between multiple chiplets within a single processor package and enables robust multi-socket system configurations, allowing for scalable performance and resource sharing.
Evolutionary Journey
Genesis and Early Generations
AMD re-entered the server market with the Epyc brand in June 2017, powered by the "Naples" microarchitecture (Zen). This initial offering provided up to 32 cores per socket, directly challenging Intel's Xeon Scalable processors. The subsequent "Rome" generation (Zen 2) launched in 2019, doubling the core count to 64 and significantly boosting per-core performance with a chiplet-based design.
Advancements and Specialization
The "Milan" series (Zen 3) arrived in March 2021, further refining per-core performance. A notable variant, Milan-X, introduced 3D V-Cache technology in 2022, dramatically increasing L3 cache capacity for specific workloads. The "Genoa" generation (Zen 4) marked a significant leap in 2022, introducing the SP5 socket, DDR5 memory support, PCIe 5.0, and up to 96 cores. This was complemented by "Bergamo" (Zen 4c) for cloud-native applications, offering up to 128 cores.
Modern Era and Future Horizons
AMD continued its innovation with "Siena" (Zen 4c) for lower-power and edge computing, utilizing the SP6 socket. The "Raphael" series brought Zen 4 to the AM5 socket for specific embedded applications. Most recently, the "Turin" family (Zen 5) launched in October 2024, pushing core counts to 192 (Zen 5c) and introducing advanced platform features. The "Grado" series (Zen 5) targets the AM5 socket for embedded use cases.
Architectural Innovations
Chiplet Design
Epyc processors predominantly employ a multi-chip module (MCM) design. This approach utilizes multiple smaller silicon dies (chiplets) interconnected on a single package. This strategy enhances manufacturing yields and allows for greater flexibility in combining different types of dies, such as compute dies (CCDs) and input/output dies (IODs).
Process Technology
AMD has progressively adopted advanced manufacturing processes for Epyc. Early generations utilized GlobalFoundries' 14nm process, while subsequent generations have leveraged TSMC's leading-edge nodes, including 7nm for Zen 2 and Zen 3, 5nm for Zen 4, and 3nm for Zen 5c, enabling higher transistor densities and improved power efficiency.
Infinity Fabric
The Infinity Fabric serves as the high-speed interconnect within the Epyc package. It connects the various chiplets (CCDs and IOD) and is crucial for inter-processor communication in dual-socket configurations, ensuring high bandwidth and low latency data exchange.
Key Processor Generations
Zen & Zen 2
Naples (1st Gen): Introduced the Zen microarchitecture, SP3 socket, DDR4 memory, and PCIe 3.0. Featured up to 32 cores.
Rome (2nd Gen): Based on Zen 2, it doubled core counts to 64, introduced PCIe 4.0, and utilized TSMC's 7nm process for compute dies. Enhanced memory bandwidth and cache.
Zen 3 & Zen 4
Milan (3rd Gen): Built on Zen 3, offering improved IPC and clock speeds. Milan-X variants introduced 3D V-Cache for significantly larger L3 cache.
Genoa (4th Gen): A major architectural shift with Zen 4 cores, SP5 socket, DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0, and up to 96 cores. Focused on performance and efficiency.
Bergamo (4th Gen): Optimized Zen 4c cores for cloud-native workloads, achieving up to 128 cores per socket.
Zen 4c, Zen 5
Siena (4th Gen): Utilizes Zen 4c cores on the SP6 socket for lower power and edge applications, featuring up to 64 cores and reduced memory channels.
Turin (5th Gen): Based on Zen 5 and Zen 5c, it pushes core counts to 192 (Zen 5c) and introduces advanced platform features on SP5. Supports DDR5-6000.
Grado (5th Gen): Zen 5 cores on the AM5 socket for embedded systems, offering up to 16 cores.
Embedded Solutions
Early Embedded Series
The Epyc Embedded 3000 series, codenamed "Snowy Owl," launched in 2018, bringing Zen architecture to embedded applications. These featured up to 16 cores, ECC DDR4 support, and PCIe 3.0 lanes, often utilizing BGA sockets for integration.
Modern Embedded Integration
From Zen 2 onwards, AMD integrated embedded Epyc offerings more closely with their server counterparts. This includes the EPYC Embedded 7000 series (based on Rome and Milan), the EPYC Embedded 8000 series ("Siena" based on Zen 4c) using the SP6 socket, and the EPYC Embedded 4000 series ("Raphael" based on Zen 4) utilizing the AM5 socket.
Specialized Variants
Hygon Dhyana
For the Chinese market, AMD partnered with Higon Information Technology to create the Hygon Dhyana SoC. This processor is a derivative of the AMD Epyc architecture, sharing significant design similarities. However, it incorporates modifications, such as localized cryptography algorithms and potentially adjusted instruction sets, to comply with Chinese regulations and export restrictions.
3D V-Cache Models
AMD introduced 3D V-Cache technology on specific Epyc models (e.g., Milan-X, Genoa-X, Turin-X variants). This technology involves stacking additional cache dies on top of the compute dies, dramatically increasing the L3 cache capacity. This significantly boosts performance in cache-sensitive workloads like HPC simulations and EDA (Electronic Design Automation).
Technical Specifications Overview
Below is a comparative overview of key specifications across major Epyc server processor generations. Note that specific models within each generation offer varying configurations.
Server Processor Generations
Generation | Codename | Microarchitecture | Process Node | Max Cores | Socket | Memory Support | PCIe Support | Launch Year |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st | Naples | Zen | 14nm | 32 | SP3 | DDR4 | PCIe 3.0 | 2017 |
2nd | Rome | Zen 2 | 7nm (Compute) / 14nm (I/O) | 64 | SP3 | DDR4 | PCIe 4.0 | 2019 |
3rd | Milan | Zen 3 | 7nm (Compute) / 14nm (I/O) | 64 | SP3 | DDR4 | PCIe 4.0 | 2021 |
3rd (X) | Milan-X | Zen 3 + 3D V-Cache | 7nm (Compute) / 14nm (I/O) | 64 | SP3 | DDR4 | PCIe 4.0 | 2022 |
4th | Genoa | Zen 4 | 5nm (Compute) / 6nm (I/O) | 96 | SP5 | DDR5 | PCIe 5.0 | 2022 |
4th | Bergamo | Zen 4c | 5nm (Compute) / 6nm (I/O) | 128 | SP5 | DDR5 | PCIe 5.0 | 2023 |
5th | Turin | Zen 5 | 4nm (Compute) | 128 | SP5 | DDR5 | PCIe 5.0 | 2024 |
5th | Turin Dense | Zen 5c | 3nm (Compute) | 192 | SP5 | DDR5 | PCIe 5.0 | 2024 |
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References
References
- Core Complexes (CCX) รย cores per CCX
- Epyc Embedded 7001 series models have identical specifications as the respective Epyc 7001 series.
- Core Complexes (CCX) รย cores per CCX
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Disclaimer
Important Notice
This document has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended for educational and informational purposes only. The content is derived from publicly available data, primarily Wikipedia, and while efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness, it may not be exhaustive or entirely up-to-date.
This is not professional technical advice. The information provided herein should not be considered a substitute for consulting official AMD documentation or seeking expert consultation for specific hardware or system design requirements. Always verify critical specifications with official sources.
The creators of this page are not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for any actions taken based on the information provided.