AMD Zen 4c Siena CPUs Outpace Intel Sapphire Rapids Xeon Chips in Speed, Affordability, and Efficiency

AMD's Zen 4c Siena CPUs have outpaced Intel's Sapphire Rapids Xeon chips in speed, affordability, and efficiency, as shown by Phoronix's tests on the flagship Epyc 8534P model.

Outpaced Intel's Sapphire Rapids Xeon chips in terms of speed
More affordable than Intel's Xeon processors
Significantly more efficient in terms of power consumption

AMD has once again proven its dominance in the CPU market with the release of its Zen 4c Siena CPUs. These powerful processors have outpaced Intel’s Sapphire Rapids Xeon chips in terms of speed, affordability, and efficiency. AMD has introduced two server families based on the Zen 4c architecture: Bergamo with 128 cores and Siena with 64 cores. While Bergamo focuses on compute density and core counts, Siena is aimed at cost-effective establishments that are conscious of their power bills.

The flagship model of the Siena family is the EPYC 8534P, which boasts 64 cores and a boost clock of 3.1GHz. It has a stock TDP of 200W, which can be adjusted from 155W to 255W. Retailing at $4950, the Epyc 8534P supports all Zen 4 features, including AVX-512, hex-channel DDR5-4800 memory, and 96 PCIe Gen 5 lanes.

Phoronix, a reputable tech publication, conducted tests on the Epyc 8534P and its PN variant, and the results were impressive. In rendering workloads like Blender, the Epyc 8534P was found to be approximately 50% faster than Intel’s Xeon Platinum 8468 (Sapphire Rapids) while consuming significantly less power. Even in the 155W mode, the Epyc processor managed to outperform the Xeon while drawing just over 120W of power.

When it comes to SHA256 encryption, a standard for SSL-secured domains, the AMD Siena flagship proved to be 64% faster than the Xeon Platinum 8468 in the 225W mode. Even in the 155W profile, it still outperformed the Xeon by 20%. The power consumption monitor also revealed that the Epyc 8534P drew 100W less power than the Xeon Platinum 8468 in the 225W mode, reducing it to nearly a third in the 155W mode.

Apache Cassandra, an essential component of server backends, also showcased the superiority of the Epyc 8534P. With a throughput of 265.67K ops per sec, it outperformed the Xeon 8468 by 110K. Additionally, the Siena flagship consumed only half as much power as its Sapphire Rapids rival in this test.

The Epyc 8534P’s performance-cost ratio was also commendable. It offered 45 ops per dollar, dwarfing the Xeon 8468’s 18.6 ops per dollar output. Even with the cTDP set to 155W, the Epyc processor maintained an impressive performance-cost ratio of 39.50 ops per dollar.

PostgreSQL 16, a widely used database management system, favored the Siena processors. The Epyc 8534 achieved 2.29 million TPS at 155W and an astounding 3.15 million TPS at 225W cTDP. In comparison, the Xeon Platinum 8468 was limited to just 2 million TPS, highlighting a significant performance gap between the two.

Overall, the power consumption graphs remained consistent with previous tests. The Epyc 8534P peaked at 220W in the 225W power mode, while the Xeon exceeded 300W and reached its 350W power limit across all scenarios.

When considering the performance-cost factor, the Epyc Siena flagship once again emerged as the clear winner. It delivered an impressive 538 TPS per dollar, compared to just 251 TPS on the Xeon competition.

AMD’s Zen 4c Siena CPUs have undoubtedly raised the bar for server processors. With their exceptional speed, affordability, and efficiency, these processors have firmly established AMD as a formidable competitor to Intel in the data center market.

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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.

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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.

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Technology Explained

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.