For the first time, AMD is presenting Epyc chips that are as inexpensive as desktop processors. The new offering targets SMBs, with low prices and small core counts.
Think of AMD Epyc and you’ll picture a server rack. That’s also where the vast majority of Epyc chips belong, with up to 128 cores per socket. The new processors are a break from that norm. First of all, the socket is exactly the same as in newer Ryzen desktop chips (AM5) and the number of available cores is at most 16, as many as a Ryzen 9 intended for workstations.
Entry-level yet enterprise-grade
That begs the question of why AMD gives such “low-end” chips the much-vaunted Epyc moniker. However, according to the company, there is a niche that has not been served until now: SMBs with server-like requirements on a small scale. So think server OS compatibility (like Windows Server) alongside support for software RAID and BMC (Baseboard Management Controller). Thus, AMD is combining “entry-level” and “enterprise-grade” in a way that was previously absent.
As with regular AM5-based Ryzen chips, there is support for up to 128GB of DDR5 system memory with ECC. Differences from AM5 do exist in this area: for example, there are up to 28 PCIe 5.0 lanes for storage, networking and GPU acceleration, among other things. A video card is probably not necessarily needed, as each Epyc 4004 chip presumably also has an iGPU like its similarly shaped Ryzen 7000 cousins.
AMD specifically targets growing businesses that may be thinking about getting a server for the first time. At the same time, due to the limited number of cores, the processors are not intended to split into numerous VMs. AMD suspects the use cases will probably not be too complex. After all, smaller organizations tend not to have an IT staff, so everything should be as user-friendly as possible.
Specifications
The new Epyc chips are being sold through many channels, including OEMs such as Lenovo and Supermicro, with cloud companies like OVHcloud also joining the fray.
Below is an overview of the new Epyc offerings:
Also read: Dell embraces AMD Epyc Rome and triples number of server configurations