Introduction

CPU headlines and newsworthy highlights are dominated by high-performance numbers such as 'most cores' and 'highest clock speeds.' So why would AMD release a new version of the EPYC stack of CPUs with lower clock speeds and lower CPU core density than other processors in their EPYC lineup?

The reason is deployment flexibility. AMD EPYC 8004 (Siena) targets workloads that are less compute-intensive saving customer's costs by offering lower specifications while still offering the advantages of the EPYC platform. AMD EPYC 8004 is designed specifically for Telco, Edge, and the Cloud industry:

• Telco servers run cell towers which include workloads like firewalls, authentication services, networking, and more
• Edge servers are deployed where the data is generated, processed, and run such as a stadium or retail environment. This includes a host of workloads that include data management, content delivery, networking, application virtualization, video encoding/decoding, or even lightweight AI/ML workloads
• Cloud servers are the opposite of Edge servers where they run or manage services in a data center. This includes workloads like distributed computing, microservices, data management, and networking.

AMD EPYC 8004 Targets Efficiency and Edge

AMD EPYC 8004 is built on the same Zen 4c cores found in the high-density AMD EPC 97x4 (Bergamo) CPUs. While EPYC Bergamo prioritized density with the smaller Zen 4c core, AMD EPYC 8004 (Siena) prioritizes efficiency cost.

This is particularly useful for environments where the cost per watt is high. You can get 16 cores running at 100W of TDP or 64 cores at 200W of TDP, a per-core power efficiency unheard of. We imagine countries, where electricity costs are high, would love these processors, especially for the lightweight workloads we mentioned.

Furthermore, the AMD EPYC 8004 processors are designed for deployments that have low power requirements or don’t have extensive cooling solutions for top-end chips hence the focus on Edge. Deployments close to clients don’t have the infrastructure to sustain the high performance and processors that are more sensitive to their environment to run optimally. AMD EPYC 8004 offers NEBS-friendly processors (suffixed with N) with slightly lower clock speeds and TDP with increased operating range. AMD EPYC 8004P has an operating environment temperature of 0-70 degrees Celsius whereas AMD EPYC 8004PN has an operating temperature of -5-85 degrees Celsius.

This specialized configuration delivers high power efficiency and temperature tolerance, low cooling requirements, and excellent acoustic characteristics. The SP6 form factor includes support for up to 6 channels of DDR5 4800 MHz memory and 96 lanes of PCIe 5.0 for high-speed network and storage connectivity.

AMD EPYC 8004 Specifications

The AMD EPYC 8004P designation is the standard variant.

Name	Cores	Threads	Max. Boost	Base Clock	L3 Cache	TDP
AMD EPYC 8534P	64	128	Up to 3.1 GHz	2.3 GHz	128 MB	200W
AMD EPYC 8434P	48	96	Up to 3.1 GHz	2.5 GHz	128 MB	200W
AMD EPYC 8324P	32	64	Up to 3 GHz	2.65 GHz	128 MB	180W
AMD EPYC 8224P	24	48	Up to 3 GHz	2.55 GHz	64 MB	160W
AMD EPYC 8124P	16	32	Up to 3 GHz	2.45 GHz	64 MB	125W
AMD EPYC 8024P	8	16	Up to 3 GHz	2.4 GHz	32 MB	90W

 The AMD EPYC 8004PN designation is the lower-clocked variant with a larger operating temperature range to be NEBS-friendly in telco deployments.

Name	Cores	Threads	Max. Boost	Base Clock	L3 Cache	TDP
AMD EPYC 8534PN	64	128	Up to 3.1 GHz	2 GHz	128 MB	175W
AMD EPYC 8434PN	48	96	Up to 3 GHz	2 GHz	128 MB	155W
AMD EPYC 8324PN	32	64	Up to 3 GHz	2.05 GHz	128 MB	130W
AMD EPYC 8224PN	24	48	Up to 3 GHz	2 GHz	64 MB	120W
AMD EPYC 8124PN	16	32	Up to 3 GHz	2 GHz	64 MB	100W
AMD EPYC 8024PN	8	16	Up to 3 GHz	2.05 GHz	32 MB	80W

Why AMD EPYC 8004 Should Be Your Next Server Platform

Whether you're deploying servers in the edge or a data center, AMD EPYC 8004 makes sense for a lot of different reasons.

• Cost Efficiency: EPYC 8004 is budget-friendly compared to the high-end 9004 series including upfront cost, chassis and motherboard cost, and even operation cost. 8004 is attractive for workloads that are GPU-native and don't require high CPU performance, or lightweight CPU workloads like database management.
• Power Efficiency: Lower power consumption due to reduced clock speeds and power-optimized design is very important for workloads in environments with limited power and cooling resources, such as remote or edge locations.
• Deployment Flexibility: 8004 is a single-socket-only, allowing for compact and dense server designs ideal for telecom edge servers or compact data center nodes. 8004 will often be found in 1U or 2U form factors and can be deployed anywhere due to their thermal resiliency.
• Sufficient I/O: 96 PCIe 5.0 lanes and 6 channels of memory (12 DDR5 DIMMS) is all anyone needs for many general-purpose workloads. By reducing the number of lanes, EPYC 8004 reduces the opportunity cost of unused memory channels and PCIe lanes.
• Optimized for Performance per Cost: Not everyone needs 128 cores of blazing fast cores. A good balance between core count and performance per watt maintains leadership in offering a great cost-to-performance ratio.

Conclusion

We like the AMD EPYC 8004 and what it stands for. These servers are targeting the forgotten market and making it easier to recommend when it comes to good performance through exceptional cost ratio, deployment flexibility, and power efficiency. For the right workloads, AMD EPYC 8004 is the perfect platform for getting most jobs done with ease.

If you are looking to purchase or configure your server visit SabrePC for more information. Check out our SabrePC AMD EPYC platforms including 9004, 8004, and legacy 7003, or contact our sales team if you're looking for something specific!