AMD’s New 280W 64-Core Rome CPU: The EPYC 7H12
by Dr. Ian Cutress on September 18, 2019 9:15 AM EST
If there’s something that gets everyone excited, it is more performance. On the Enterprise side, AMD has made big strides with its latest EPYC processor stack, featuring up to 64 cores per socket with 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes and 8-channel memory, featuring a very high performance per dollar in the marketplace. In order to coincide with the launch of the processor line-up in Europe today, AMD is unveiling a new chip to act as the new Halo product: the EPYC 7H12.
The new processor features a higher base frequency and a higher boost frequency that the previous top-of-the-line processor, the EPYC 7742. The new EPYC 7H12 has a rated TDP of 280W, and as a result the chip is being marketed for server environments that offer liquid cooled solutions only. AMD is very specific about this, especially in the market for which this CPU is aimed at. One of AMD’s main partners, Atos, is set to offer an 1U solution featuring eight of these CPUs, all liquid cooled.
| AMD EPYC 7002 Processors (2P) | ||||||
| Cores Threads |
Frequency (GHz) | L3* | TDP | Price | ||
| Base | Max | |||||
| EPYC 7H12 | 64 / 128 | 2.60 | 3.30 | 256 MB | 280 W | ? |
| EPYC 7742 | 64 / 128 | 2.25 | 3.40 | 256 MB | 225 W | $6950 |
| EPYC 7702 | 64 / 128 | 2.00 | 3.35 | 256 MB | 200 W | $6450 |
| EPYC 7642 | 48 / 96 | 2.30 | 3.20 | 256 MB | 225 W | $4775 |
| EPYC 7552 | 48 / 96 | 2.20 | 3.30 | 192 MB | 200 W | $4025 |
For a base frequency, the EPYC 7H12 will be set at 2.6 GHz, and a turbo frequency of 3.3 GHz. Compared to the EPYC 7742, that’s +350 MHz on base and -100 MHz on turbo, for an increase in +55W TDP. The higher TDP means the 7H12 is expected to have an all-core turbo a lot higher than the 7742. The EPYC 7H12 is socket compatible with all other Rome processors.
With this new CPU, AMD is clearly going after the high-performance compute market. The chip still affords the same specifications as the rest of the stack, such as the PCIe lanes, the memory support, and security features, should any other market be interested, but AMD expects this CPU to be installed in large HPC datacenters. AMD published raw LINPACK metrics with a performance uplift of the 7H12 over the 7742 at around 11%.
We asked AMD if this is a chip designed for specific partners who can enable liquid cooling servers, or for any OEM that wants it. AMD responded stating the latter – this chip will have general availability, but given the target market, they are pushing it only for liquid cooled HPC systems. AMD states they have other processors better suited to certain other fields, such as finance.
We expect AMD’s OEM partners to be evaluating the 7H12 for their system offerings, with further announcements in due course.
Related Reading
- AMD Rome Second Generation EPYC Review: 2x 64-core Benchmarked
- The AMD 2nd Gen EPYC "Rome" Launch Live Blog
- Lenovo Launches ThinkSystem SR635 & SR655 Servers with AMD’s EPYC ‘Rome’ CPUs
- AMD Zen 2 Microarchitecture Analysis: Ryzen 3000 and EPYC Rome
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prisonerX - Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - link
How's your Intel stock going, buddy?Irata - Thursday, September 19, 2019 - link
I think servethehome very much disagrees with you.twtech - Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - link
AMD isn't trying to use "leetspeak" in their model names now are they?Dragonstongue - Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - link
AMD on massive roll, just like me, 2019-2020 is massive world change or very much gearing up for it.THE PROOF is what is taking place last few months alone, rocket speed style...things not ALL drop all at the same time for NO reason....nothing is that "random" to be that "unrelated"
not according the many years this Dragon has roamed the land.
Dragonstongue - Wednesday, September 18, 2019 - link
shame investors are NOT really giving them a very well earned and solid pat on the butt sort of speak.i.e pulled from the grave to run the market more or less complete for next say 3-4 years .. in round about way at very least as them big players (Amazon etc) have all very jumped on board with AMD......they must all know we NEED to do this...whatever the THIS is....
I am very <3 my Ryzen 3600 (keep up with 8700/9600 / 2700x / 3700x all day long (ofc max 12 thread) .. got cpu-z to back my claim ^.^ (going ~15% higher avg results for my anything BUT stable bios lol...but, 3200 ram run even tighter @ 3600 and the cpu boosting to ms level up to 4.52g...not at all complain about my choice to save myself some $$$$$$$$$ .. could easily been sold as 3600x without a doubt.....maybe AMD wanted good faith in some of their line no question???
as the others supposedly "not doing so well"
guess it pays to save money more oft than not
Ah
ha
ACE76 - Thursday, September 19, 2019 - link
How the hell do you water cool 8 separate 64 core CPUs in a 1u enclosure!!Xyler94 - Thursday, September 19, 2019 - link
rather easily actually, as long as there's room for the tubing, it's very easy to do... so long as your pump and radiators aren't inside the same enclosure, which these systems usually are like that, no pump/res/rads inside the 1U case. They've got quick disconnect fittings at the back, and transfer the water to a radiator array via powerful pumps. Remember Linus's Whole Room Watercooling project? Imagine that, on a difference scale.peevee - Thursday, September 19, 2019 - link
Racks in a meat freezer... Time to buy meat freezer stocks? ;)itonamd - Thursday, September 19, 2019 - link
maybe shall try with dielectric liquid cooling like 3M novec..Arnulf - Friday, September 20, 2019 - link
"Dielectric liquid" ... you mean oil? Tried and tested.