The Zen 5 architecture delivers server-grade performance, efficiency, and optimized product longevity.
AMD announced the expansion of its x86 embedded processor portfolio with the introduction of 5th Gen AMD EPYC Embedded processors.
AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series CPUs are designed for embedded markets, combining compute performance with features that support product longevity, reliability, and system resiliency. Built on the “Zen 5” architecture, these processors provide performance and energy efficiency for networking, storage, and industrial edge systems, helping to process data more quickly and efficiently.
Leadership core density, performance, and energy efficiency
AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors are designed to power compute-intensive embedded systems with support for core counts from 8 to 192 in a single socket. The high core density provides up to 1.3X and 1.6X higher data processing throughput for networking and storage workloads, respectively,1,2 making the devices suitable for network security, storage systems, and industrial control applications.
Using the new “Zen 5c” core architecture offers higher throughput with greater energy efficiency, delivering up to an estimated 1.3X increase in socket throughput3 and an estimated 1.3X better performance/Watt4 compared to the competition. Capacity of up to 6TB of DDR5 memory per socket and expanded I/O connectivity, supporting up to 160 PCIe Gen5 lanes with CXL 2.0, enables storage capacity expansion and high-speed data transfers for networking and storage applications.
Purpose-built, application-specific features
AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors offer embedded features for a secure and durable platform.
- Extended longevity: To support the extended lifecycle needs of embedded markets, AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series CPUs offer seven years of manufacturing support, helping system designers maintain long-term product availability and reduce redesign efforts. Additionally, AMD plans to extend design lifetime operation targets from 5 years on currently sampling AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series CPUs, to 7 years for production SKUs, ensuring long-term product stability for embedded systems. These extended design lifetime operation targets are critical for embedded systems running mission-critical applications in harsh conditions, minimizing unplanned downtime, repairs, and costly system replacements.
- System resiliency and security: Features include NTB (non-transparent bridging) for increased high availability in fault tolerant multi-host configurations. NTB enhances system redundancy and failover capabilities for networking and storage systems by enabling data exchange between two CPUs in active-active configurations via PCI Express (PCIe) to allow continued operation in case of a failure. DRAM Flush helps prevent data loss in mission-critical storage by transferring data to non-volatile memory during a power failure.
Dual SPI (serial peripheral interface) enables customers to load a secure, proprietary bootloader for platform authentication and a trusted execution environment.
- Ease of application development: Built in Yocto framework support simplifies embedded system deployments by enabling the creation of custom Linux distributions that are tailored for the customer’s system. SPDK (Storage Performance Development Kit) and DPDK (Data Plane Development Kit) enhance system performance by handling data processing for network and storage workloads in user space drivers.
Industry support and availability
AMD is collaborating with ecosystem partners, including Cisco and IBM, to introduce the next generation of embedded processors.
The AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors are currently being sampled by early access customers, with production shipments expected in the second quarter of 2025. They use the SP5 socket form factor, ensuring compatibility with the previous AMD EPYC Embedded 9004 Series for a straightforward upgrade.
For more information, visit amd.com.
1 Based on testing by AMD in February 2025, using the DPDK-L3FWD benchmark to measure the throughput uplift of the 5th Gen AMD EPYC Embedded 9655 (96c/192T/@400W TDP) CPU, versus the 4th Gen EPYC Embedded 9654 CPU (96c/192T/@400W TDP). Stated throughput uplift is based on a geomean of the scores recorded for each processor over 4/8/16 cores. Results will vary based on settings, configuration, usage, and other factors. (EEB-002)
2 Based on testing by AMD in February 2025, using the ISA-L and ISA-L Crypto libraries on warm (8KB data size) and cold (64MB data size) settings, to test the performance of the 5th Gen AMD EPYC Embedded 9455 processor (48c/96T/@300W) configured on an AMD reference platform, with single-rank 576GB DDR5 (24x 24GB DIMMs @6000 MT/s) memory, Ubuntu 22.04 O/S (default settings) and custom BIOS settings (Boost frequency enable, NPS1) versus a similarly configured 4th Gen AMD EPYC Embedded 9454 processor (48c/96T/@290W). Results are based on a geomean of the scores recorded on warm and cold settings. Results will vary based on configuration, settings, usage, and other factors. (EEB-001)
3 Estimated integer throughput uplift is based on 5th Gen AMD EPYC 9965 processor test results compared to 6th Gen Intel Xeon 6980P processor test results, on the SPECrate2017_int_base benchmark. Scores published on Spec.org in December 2024. Results may vary based on settings, configuration, usage, and other factors. AMD EPYC 9965 CPU Scores: https://www.spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2024q4/cpu2017-20241004-44979.html. INTEL XEON 6980P CPU Scores: https://spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2025q1/cpu2017-20241230-45863.html (EEB-005)
4 Estimated results based on 5th Gen EPYC Embedded 9965 processor test results compared to 6th Gen Intel Xeon 6980 processor test results, on the SPECrate2017_int_base benchmark. Scores published on Spec.org in December 2024. Results may vary based on settings, configuration, usage, and other factors. SPEC and SPECrate are registered trademarks of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation. See www.spec.org for more information. AMD EPYC Embedded 9965 CPU Scores (performance score 3100 @ 1000W- Perf/W-3.1): https://www.spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2024q4/cpu2017-20241004-44979.html INTEL XEON 6980P CPU Scores (performance score 2420 @ 1000W- Perf/W- 2.4): https://spec.org/cpu2017/results/res2025q1/cpu2017-20241230-45863.html (EEB-010)
