AMD Unveils EPYC 4004 Series: Entry-Level Zen 4-based Powerhouse Emerges

AMD's EPYC 4004 series offers high-performing, cost-effective server chips based on the Zen 4 architecture, competing with Intel's Xeon-E family and targeting small business and entry-level server markets. AMD's EPYC 4004 series offers high-performing, cost-effective server chips based on the Zen 4 architecture, competing with Intel's Xeon-E family and targeting small business and entry-level server markets.

AMD's EPYC 4004 series offers high-performing cores with clock speeds up to 5.1GHz, making them ideal for demanding workloads.
The EPYC 4004 series fills a niche in the server market that Intel does not, offering 12 and 16 core options in the entry-level segment.
The EPYC 4004 series comes with all the expected features of the AM5 platform, including PCIe 5.0 support, DDR5 memory, and integrated graphics.

AMD has been making significant strides in the server market since its resurgence as a major competitor in the x86 CPU scene. With their EPYC processors, they have been steadily chipping away at Intel’s dominance in the lucrative server market. Now, AMD is targeting the entry-level 1P server market with their new EPYC 4004 series processors.

The EPYC 4004 family essentially replaces AMD’s Ryzen chips for server use. While Ryzen for servers was not a dedicated product lineup, it has been a segment within the company since 2019, catering to smaller-scale hosting providers. With the upgrade to EPYC status, AMD is repositioning this hardware ecosystem as a proper lineup with dedicated chips and additional features suitable for EPYC processors. This expansion also includes small business users, broadening the market segments AMD is targeting.

The EPYC 4004 series is based on AMD’s AM5 platform and Raphael processors, which are part of the Ryzen 7000 series. These EPYC counterparts are essentially rebranded Ryzen 7000 SKUs, offering the same core counts, clock speeds, and TDPs. The only exception is the entry-level 4-core 4124P chip.

All the chips in the EPYC 4004 series are based on AMD’s Zen 4 architecture. While they may have fewer cores compared to other EPYC processors, they are high-performing cores, with clock speeds that don’t go below 5.1GHz. Some SKUs in the series also feature AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology, which stacks cache on top of the CCDs, resulting in a total of 128MB of L3 cache.

In terms of energy efficiency, the EPYC 4004 series is not particularly efficient compared to other EPYC processors. However, these chips are designed to be cost-effective rather than energy-efficient. The EPYC 8004 series, with its many-core Zen 4c designs, focuses more on energy efficiency.

The EPYC 4004 series comes with all the expected features of the AM5 platform, including PCIe 5.0 support, DDR5 memory, and integrated graphics. ECC is officially supported on these server chips, although only UDIMMs are supported, not RDIMMs.

While AMD has not disclosed the specific chipset paired with the EPYC 4004 processors, it is likely to be an ASMedia-designed I/O chipset. The EPYC 4004 platform offers additional enterprise features at the motherboard level, such as baseboard management controller (BMC) support, software RAID, and official server OS support.

AMD’s EPYC 4004 chips directly compete with Intel’s entry-level Xeon-E family. Unlike Intel, AMD offers 12 and 16 core chips in this segment, filling a niche that Intel does not. Additionally, AMD’s core counts align well with Windows Server 2022 licensing, allowing server owners to maximize their license with top-end EPYC 4004 chips.

In terms of performance, AMD’s EPYC processors have an advantage in highly multi-threaded workloads due to their significant core count advantage over Intel’s products. However, this also results in higher power consumption compared to Intel’s lower wattage chips.

AMD has launched the EPYC 4004 product stack immediately, with many server partners already on board. The availability of core hardware means there won’t be a significant ramp-up period for these processors.

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Background Information

About AMD: AMD, a large player in the semiconductor industry is known for its powerful processors and graphic solutions, AMD has consistently pushed the boundaries of performance, efficiency, and user experience. With a customer-centric approach, the company has cultivated a reputation for delivering high-performance solutions that cater to the needs of gamers, professionals, and general users. AMD's Ryzen series of processors have redefined the landscape of desktop and laptop computing, offering impressive multi-core performance and competitive pricing that has challenged the dominance of its competitors. Complementing its processor expertise, AMD's Radeon graphics cards have also earned accolades for their efficiency and exceptional graphical capabilities, making them a favored choice among gamers and content creators. The company's commitment to innovation and technology continues to shape the client computing landscape, providing users with powerful tools to fuel their digital endeavors.

About Intel: Intel Corporation, a global technology leader, is for its semiconductor innovations that power computing and communication devices worldwide. As a pioneer in microprocessor technology, Intel has left an indelible mark on the evolution of computing with its processors that drive everything from PCs to data centers and beyond. With a history of advancements, Intel's relentless pursuit of innovation continues to shape the digital landscape, offering solutions that empower businesses and individuals to achieve new levels of productivity and connectivity.

Technology Explained

AM5: Socket AM5 (LGA 1718) is a zero insertion force flip-chip land grid array (LGA) CPU socket designed by Advanced Micro Devices, that is used for AMD Ryzen microprocessors starting with the Zen 4 microarchitecture. AM5 replaces the Socket AM4 and is AMD's first LGA socket designed for mainstream, non-enthusiast CPUs.

CPU: The Central Processing Unit (CPU) is the brain of a computer, responsible for executing instructions and performing calculations. It is the most important component of a computer system, as it is responsible for controlling all other components. CPUs are used in a wide range of applications, from desktop computers to mobile devices, gaming consoles, and even supercomputers. CPUs are used to process data, execute instructions, and control the flow of information within a computer system. They are also used to control the input and output of data, as well as to store and retrieve data from memory. CPUs are essential for the functioning of any computer system, and their applications in the computer industry are vast.

DDR5: DDR5 (Double Data Rate 5) is the next generation of memory technology for the computer industry. It is a modern day improvement on earlier DDR technologies, with faster speeds, greater bandwidth and higher capacities. DDR5 enables higher resolution, seamless gaming experiences and faster data transfer rates, making it an ideal choice for high-performance computing and 4K gaming. With its greater RAM compatibility, DDR5 provides faster buffering times and raised clock speeds, giving users an improved overall work system. DDR5 is also optimized for multi-tasking, allowing users to multitask without experiencing a significant drop in performance, increasing the productivity of digital tasks. As an ever-evolving technology, DDR5 is paving the way for the computer industry into a new and powerful era.

EPYC: EPYC is a technology designed by computer chip manufacturer AMD for use in the server and data center industry. It was introduced in June 2017 and features an innovative design to improve performance and power efficiency. EPYC processor technology is based on an innovative 14nm processor architecture, allowing up to 32 high-performance cores in a single socket. This allows for more efficient processing power, increased memory bandwidth, and greater compute density. EPYC is now widely used in the data center and cloud computing industry and provides benefits such as greater scalability, increased resource efficiency, and advanced virtualization capabilities. Additionally, EPYC technology is used in data intensive servers like server farms, gaming, and virtualization platforms. EPYC ensures that even with large deployments in multi-processor environments, power consumption and performance levels are optimized to ensure maximum efficiency.

L3 cache: L3 cache is a type of computer memory that is used to store frequently used data and instructions. It is located between the processor and main memory, and is used to reduce the amount of time it takes for the processor to access data from main memory. This helps to improve the overall performance of the computer. In the computer industry, L3 cache is used in many applications, such as gaming, video editing, and web browsing. It can also be used to improve the performance of servers and other high-performance computing tasks. By providing faster access to data, L3 cache can help to reduce the amount of time it takes for a computer to complete a task.

PCIe: PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for connecting components such as graphics cards, sound cards, and network cards to a motherboard. It is the most widely used interface in the computer industry today, and is used in both desktop and laptop computers. PCIe is capable of providing up to 16 times the bandwidth of the older PCI standard, allowing for faster data transfer speeds and improved performance. It is also used in a variety of other applications, such as storage, networking, and communications. PCIe is an essential component of modern computing, and its applications are only expected to grow in the future.

RAID: RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a technology used in the computer industry to increase the performance, reliability, and storage capacity of computer systems. It works by combining multiple hard drives into a single logical unit, allowing them to be accessed as if they were a single drive. This allows for faster data access, as multiple drives can be accessed simultaneously, and for increased reliability, as data can be stored redundantly across multiple drives. RAID is commonly used in servers, workstations, and other high-performance computing systems, as well as in consumer-level storage solutions such as NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices.

Xeon: The Intel Xeon processor is a powerful and reliable processor used in many computer systems. It is a multi-core processor that is designed to handle multiple tasks simultaneously. It is used in servers, workstations, and high-end desktop computers. It is also used in many embedded systems, such as routers and switches. The Xeon processor is known for its high performance and scalability, making it a popular choice for many computer applications. It is also used in many cloud computing applications, as it is capable of handling large amounts of data and providing high levels of performance. The Xeon processor is also used in many scientific and engineering applications, as it is capable of handling complex calculations and simulations.