How The “Venice” Epycs Measure Up Against Prior AMD Server CPUs - The Next Platform
AMD has unveiled its sixth-generation Epyc 'Venice' processors, introducing 31 new server CPU variants that span from 8 to 256 cores and 130 to 600 watts of power.
The new Venice Epyc chips are built on a complex architecture that includes two server sockets, two different I/O dies, and two distinct compute dies.
This product line initially comprises 31 different CPUs, with core counts ranging from 8 to 256 and power consumption between 130 and 600 watts.
Prices for the processors, purchased in 1,000-unit trays, range from $700 to $14,904.
Architecture and Process
AMD has blurred the distinction between its Zen 6 and Zen 6c core designs by keeping their cache hierarchies the same while optimizing their schedulers differently.
The 12-core CCD features 48 MB of L3 cache, while the 32-core CCD has 128 MB of L3 cache, both etched using 2 nanometer processes from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
The I/O dies for both sockets are manufactured using TSMC's 6 nanometer process.
Dual Socket Strategy
The SP7 socket, used for the heftier Venice processors, delivers 16 channels of DDR5 memory with up to 1.6 TB/sec of bandwidth using MRDIMMs.
It also provides 96 PCI-Express 6.0 lanes running at 64 Gb/sec each, with 128 lanes exposed in a two-socket configuration.
The SP8 socket, intended for more mainstream processors, has eight DDR5 memory channels and 128 PCI-Express 6.0 lanes, offering half the memory bandwidth but 33 percent more I/O.
AMD has confirmed that SP8 socket I/O dies will be manufactured using TSMC's 6 nanometer process.
Performance and Price
AMD reports an average performance uplift of 20 percent per core for the Zen 6 design compared to the Zen 5 core.
The top-bin Epyc 9996 SP7 part delivers 190 times the performance of the baseline Opteron 2393 SE while offering a cost per unit of performance that is 14.9 times lower.
For the SP8 variant, the Epyc 9746 shows a 108.2X performance increase over the baseline Opteron and a 10.8X improvement in price-per-performance.
AMD is once again pushing the price/performance envelope, and it is particularly awarding customers who go with the throughput-oriented SP7 variants.
Market Outlook
The SP8 socket versions of the Venice CPUs will not ship until the first half of 2027.
AMD aims to maintain its competitive edge against Intel and the rising Arm collective, which currently accounts for half of the server market.
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