CPUs

AMD Considering HBM Version of Epyc Genoa “Zen 4” Server Processors

AMD is reportedly working on an HBM variant of its next-gen Epyc Genoa (Zen 4) server processors, primarily to tackle Intel’s Sapphire Rapids-SP which will feature at least one SKU with on-die HBM memory. According to Impact Hardware (via WCCFTech), there have been repeated discussions regarding the use of HBM memory with Zen 4 (among AMD’s server partners), with no concrete decision made at the time of writing.

AMD is already planning a 3D stacked V-Cache version of Milan with a slated launch in H1 2022, and a similarly designed HBM variant isn’t all that unimaginable. However, just like Trento, it’s likely that the HBM model (if it comes to fruition) would be reserved for a handful of important clients, with the rest getting V-Cache variants.

AMD’s data center roadmap is certainly the most interesting. There are around five different lineups slated to launch in the next 2-3 years. The first one is Milan-X with 3D stacked V-Cache, followed by Trento alongside the Instinct MI200 for the Frontier SC. After that, we’ve got the mainstream Genoa-SP (96 cores) expected sometime in early 2023 plus a V-Cache version, and finally, Bergamo (128 core) for the cloud market sometime later that year. Now, there’s word of an HBM variant as well.

There’s a very good chance that the standard Genoa-SP, Genoa with V-Cache, and the corresponding HBM variants will form the same product family, so it may not be fair to think of them as three separate stacks. Intel’s Sapphire Rapids-SP processors have been delayed to the second or third quarter of 2022, giving AMD plenty of time to expand its presence in the lucrative server segments.

Areej Syed

Processors, PC gaming, and the past. I have written about computer hardware for over seven years with over 5000 published articles. I started during engineering college and haven't stopped since. On the side, I play RPGs like Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Divinity, and Fallout. Contact: areejs12@hardwaretimes.com.
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