AMD is promising some big performance gains with its V-cache CPUs. The company is essentially adding an L3 cache (SRAM) chiplet in the form of a 3D die that’s stacked on top of the existing Zen 3 chiplet. This allows the V-cache CPUs to have triple the amount of L3 cache. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D became the first AMD CPU with the company’s 3D V-cache memory, and AMD is finally making V-cache available to a wider market with its EPYC 7003X Milan-X server CPUs.
AMD’s new Milan-X CPUs, for those of you who don’t know, are upgraded versions of its current 3rd-gen Milan-based processors. One of the biggest improvements with the new chip is through its large 768MB of L3 cache using AMD’s 3D V-cache stacking technology. The new chips have 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes waiting to be utilized through full-length PCIe 4.0 slots and controllers selection. The chips also feature four memory controllers that are capable of supporting two DIMMs per controller which opens as many as eight channels for DDR4 memory. Here’s a quick look at the new stack of EPYC 7003 processors with 3D V-cache technology alongside the existing lineup:
Specification | EPYC 7773X | EPYC 7763 | EPYC 7573X | EPYC 75F3 | EPYC 7473X | EPYC 74F3 | EPYC 7373X | EPYC 73F3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cores | 64 | 64 | 32 | 32 | 24 | 24 | 16 | 16 |
Threads | 128 | 128 | 64 | 64 | 48 | 78 | 32 | 32 |
Base Frequency | 2.2GHz | 2.4GHz | 2.8GHz | 2.95GHz | 2.8GHz | 3.2GHz | 3.05GHz | 3.5GHz |
Boost Frequency | 3.5GHz | 3.4GHz | 3.6GHz | 4.0GHz | 3.7GHz | 4.0GHz | 3.8GHz | 4.0GHz |
L3 Cache | 768MB | 256MB | 768MB | 256MB | 768MB | 256MB | 768MB | 256MB |
Default TDP | 280W | 280W | 280W | 280W | 240W | 240W | 240W | 240W |
Memory Support | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 | 8x DDR4-3200 |
PCIe | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 | 128 x 4.0 |
Pricing | $8800 | $7890 | $5590 | $4860 | $3900 | $2900 | $4185 | $3521 |
EPYC Milan-X processors
The EPYC 7773X, as you can see, is the top-of-the-line SKU in the stack with 64 Zen 3 cores and 128 threads. We’re looking at a base frequency of 2.2GHz and a max boost frequency of 3.5GHz. The EPYC 7573X stands next in the line with 32-cores and 64 threads. According to AMD, all four EPYC 7003-X chips have a configurable TDP of between 225 and 280W.
The new EPYC 7003-X chip supports eight DDR4-3200 memory modules per socket, with capacities of up to 4 TB per chip. It’s also worth pointing out that the new Milan-X EPYC server chips are compatible with current LGA 4094 motherboards, and they’ll be enabled via a firmware update by the vendors.
Pricing & Availability
AMD’s EPYC 7003-X processors are now available to the public. The AMD EPYC 7773X will be available for around $8800 while the EPYC 7573X will cost about $5590. These prices are listed on a 1K unit order basis, so the per unit cost could be slightly higher. These new chips will soon be available to purchase as a part of some pre-built machines from OEM partners like Dell, Lenovo, and HP. If you are looking to get your hands on a V-cache CPU for a personal rig, then you might want to check out the Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor.