The rumor in this case comes from Inpact Hardware who reportedly received information from AMD sources claiming that they were planning an HBM variant of their upcoming Zen 4 base architecture EPYC Genoa server processors. Although we have learned a lot about processors Genoa ‘standard’, this would be the first time we’ve heard of incorporating a variant of HBM memory into the equation.
Zen 4 architecture meets HBM memory
According to information published in their report, a Zen 4 architecture EPYC processor with HBM memory is a recurring question among AMD partners. Intel has already announced its HBM variant of Sapphire Rapids, although these chips will not be available in mass until 2023. AMD would prepare its Milan-X line as a middle ground between Zen 3 and Zen 4, which would host a 3D technology chip. stacking although it’s not yet clear whether this will be CCD-based or V-Cache-based (similar to the next-gen Ryzen Zen 3).
AMD will likely be able to offer Milan-X chips with 3D V-Cache to demonstrate how low-level caching can help improve performance on bandwidth-related workloads and ultimately scale them with more. Genoa is on the market. The difference between Milan and Milan-X in terms of output is around 2-3 quarters and we can expect the same period of time until we see a line of AMD EPYC Zen 4 processors with HBM memory. .
What will certainly be interesting to see is the implementation of AMD’s HBM memory, as they can either use traditional methods with the chips out of the die or use 3D chip stacking technology from AMD. new generation. Intel has not confirmed which solution they will use in this regard for their own HBM memory integration, but they most likely use EMIB and Foveros packaging and interconnect technologies to integrate HBM memory into their Xeon processors.
AMD EPYC processor families
| Last name | AMD EPYC Naples | AMD EPYC Rome | AMD EPYC Milan | AMD EPYC Genoa |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| last name | EPYC 7001 | EPYC 7002 | EPYC 7003 | EPYC 7004? |
| Launch | 2017 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 |
| Architecture | Zen 1 | Zen 2 | Zen 3 | Zen 4 |
| Lithography | Glofo 14 nm | TSMC 7 nm | TSMC 7 nm | 5 nm TSMC |
| Platform | SP3 | SP3 | SP3 | SP5 |
| Socket | LGA 4094 | LGA 4094 | LGA 4094 | LGA 6096 |
| Maximum number of cores | 32 | 64 | 64 | 96 |
| Maximum number of threads | 64 | 128 | 128 | 192 |
| Maximum L3 cache | 64 MB | 256 MB | 256 MB | 384 MB? |
| Chip design | 4 CCD (2 CCX per CCD) | 8 CCD (2 CCX per CCD) + 1 IOD | 8 CCD (1 CCX per CCD) + 1 IOD | 12 CCD (1 CCX per CCD) + 1 IOD |
| Memory support | DDR4-2666 | DDR4-3200 | DDR4-3200 | DDR5-5200 |
| Memory channels | 8 channels | 8 channels | 8 channels | 12 channels |
| PCIe | 64 generation 3 | 128 generation 4 | 128 generation 4 | 128 Gen 5 |
| TDP range | 200W | 280W | 280W | 320W (cTDP 400W) |
As we can see, AMD’s plans for its EPYC processors are not only broad but also ambitious. The next generation, EPYC Genoa coming in 2022, will incorporate all the technologies AMD has been working on for years, including a new socket, TSMC 5nm lithography, support for DDR5 RAM and even PCIe 5.0. If they now create a “Premium” category of these processors with HBM memory, they may be able to stand up to it and even leave Intel and its Xeon Sapphire Rapids processors in the dark.
It should not be forgotten, on the other hand, that processor manufacturers typically integrate the latest technologies into their business platforms first, but almost always reach the home ecosystem later. So we can’t help but think that it’s potentially possible that we see a next-gen AMD Ryzen processor with HBM memory, so there’s the data. Let us not forget, on the other hand, that we are only dealing with rumors and that all of this information might not come true in the end.
