AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today introduced its 5th Generation EPYC™ Embedded processors, expanding its x86 embedded portfolio. These new processors are specifically optimized for embedded industries, balancing high-end compute capabilities with embedded-specific features that enhance product longevity, reliability, and ease of system integration.
Powered by the advanced “Zen 5” architecture, these processors deliver superior performance and energy efficiency, allowing networking, storage, and industrial edge systems to process data faster and more efficiently. “AI-driven network traffic, increasing data storage needs, and the growth of industrial edge computing are driving demand for higher compute performance in embedded systems,” said Salil Raje, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Adaptive and Embedded Computing at AMD. “The 5th Gen EPYC Embedded processors provide industry-leading performance and efficiency for embedded customers, with long product lifecycles and enhanced system resiliency to support reliable operations in demanding environments.”
The AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors are designed to power demanding embedded systems, offering core counts ranging from 8 to 192 cores per socket. Their industry-leading core density results in up to 1.3X and 1.6X higher data processing throughput for networking and storage tasks, making them ideal for network firewalls, storage solutions, and industrial control systems.
Featuring the new “Zen 5c” core architecture, these processors offer improved throughput and energy efficiency, delivering up to 1.3X higher socket throughput and 1.3X better performance per watt compared to competing solutions. They support up to 6TB of DDR5 memory per socket and up to 160 PCIe® Gen5 lanes with CXL® 2.0, enabling high-speed data transfers and large storage capacities for network and storage applications.
The AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors are designed to offer exceptional reliability, security, and longevity for embedded systems. With a seven-year manufacturing support guarantee, these processors are perfect for environments that require long-term stability and continuous availability. AMD is extending the operational lifetime of these processors from five years to seven years in the production models, providing lasting stability for mission-critical applications, especially in harsh and demanding conditions.
To enhance system resiliency and security, these processors feature advanced technologies such as Non-Transparent Bridging (NTB), which supports high availability in multi-host configurations. This improves system redundancy for networking and storage platforms, ensuring continued operations even in the event of failures. Additionally, the DRAM Flush function safeguards data integrity by transferring data to non-volatile memory during power outages, while Dual SPI support ensures secure bootloader authentication, fostering a trusted execution environment.
The EPYC Embedded 9005 Series also simplifies application development by integrating support for the Yocto framework, which enables the creation of custom Linux distributions tailored to specific system needs. Furthermore, the inclusion of the Storage Performance Development Kit (SPDK) and Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) optimizes the performance of network and storage workloads, allowing for efficient data processing and improved system performance in embedded applications.
AMD is collaborating with ecosystem leaders such as Cisco and IBM to bring the benefits of these next-gen embedded processors to market.
“We chose AMD’s EPYC Embedded 9005 processors for our high-end firewall products because of their exceptional compute power, scalability, and advanced memory and I/O bandwidth,” said Lukasz Bromirski, Director of Product Management at Cisco.
Matthew Geiser, from IBM Storage for Data, AI, and HPC, highlighted that AMD’s EPYC Embedded 9005 processors provide redundant pathways and robust connectivity, making them ideal for high-performance applications in IBM’s Storage Scale System.
The AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors are currently in the sampling phase with early access customers, with production shipments expected to begin in Q2 2025. The processors are available in the SP5 socket form factor, which is compatible with the previous generation AMD EPYC Embedded 9004 Series, offering a smooth upgrade path for customers.
For over 50 years, AMD has been at the forefront of innovation in high-performance computing, graphics, and visualization technologies. Billions of people, along with leading Fortune 500 businesses and research institutions, rely on AMD’s technology daily to enhance their work, life, and play. AMD remains committed to delivering leadership products that push the boundaries of what’s possible.
