Alleged pictures and information regarding AMD’s next-generation EPYC Milan CPUs have been published YuuKi_AnS (ViaHarukaze5719). The leaker who has previously posted leaked a range of tech products has now started talking about AMD’s Zen 3 processors and based on what he has stated, he’s talking about the EPYC Milan lineup which starts shipping this year.
Alleged AMD EPYC Milan CPU Sample Spotted, Expected To Feature Single-Core Performance On Par With Top Intel Xeon CPUs
The CPU-z screenshot isn’t very detailed and only shows a partial section of the number of cores. It looks like the chip features more than 8 cores. The actual core amount is unknown but it looks like the chip could feature more than 32 cores based on how long the scroll bar is. This could be one of the first engineering samples of the Zen 3 based EPYC Milan CPU that we are looking at. The leaker also reports on some specific performance numbers of the chip.
According to Yuuki, the next-generation AMD EPYC Milan CPUs will feature single-core performance on par with Intel’s top of the line Xeon CPUs. The leaker reports a benchmark score of at least 500 points. Again, no specific details are provided as to which benchmark suite was used to obtain the numbers but if the leaker is referring to the CPU-z benchmark, then we are looking at a 23% jump in performance over the 2nd Generation Rome based EPYC 7742 CPU.
For Cinebench R20, this will represent a performance jump of 25-30% in single-threaded workloads which is a significant boost. This falls in line with recent rumors which stated that EPYC Milan CPUs can feature around a 20% performance improvement over its predecessors.
The performance metrics being compared to Xeon also makes it very likely that this is an EPYC Milan based chip that has been pictured in the CPU-z screenshot and not a mainstream consumer chip. It is also stated that this chip was running on a dual-socket (2P) platform which is expected of a top-tier EPYC chip. If the performance metrics are true, then AMD will not only be taking its multi-threaded lead to new heights but with its single-core performance, AMD will also displace Intel as the new 1T performance and efficiency king in the server market.
AMD CPU Roadmap (2018-2020)
| Ryzen Family | Ryzen 1000 Series | Ryzen 2000 Series | Ryzen 3000 Series | Ryzen 4000 Series | Ryzen 5000 Series | Ryzen 6000 Series |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Zen (1) | Zen (1) / Zen+ | Zen (2) / Zen+ | Zen (3) / Zen 2 | Zen (3)+ / Zen 3? | Zen (4) / Zen 3? |
| Process Node | 14nm | 14nm / 12nm | 7nm | 7nm+ / 7nm | 7nm+ / 7nm | 5nm / 7nm+ |
| Server | EPYC ‘Naples’ | EPYC ‘Naples’ | EPYC ‘Rome’ | EPYC ‘Milan’ | EPYC ‘Milan’ | EPYC ‘Genoa’ |
| Max Server Cores / Threads | 32/64 | 32/64 | 64/128 | 64/128 | TBD | TBD |
| High End Desktop | Ryzen Threadripper 1000 Series (White Haven) | Ryzen Threadripper 2000 Series (Coflax) | Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Series (Castle Peak) | Ryzen Threadripper 4000 Series (Genesis Peak) | Ryzen Threadripper 5000 Series | Ryzen Threadripper 6000 Series |
| Max HEDT Cores / Threads | 16/32 | 32/64 | 64/128 | 64/128? | TBD | TBD |
| Mainstream Desktop | Ryzen 1000 Series (Summit Ridge) | Ryzen 2000 Series (Pinnacle Ridge) | Ryzen 3000 Series (Matisse) | Ryzen 4000 Series (Vermeer) | Ryzen 5000 Series (Warhol) | Ryzen 6000 Series (Raphael) |
| Max Mainstream Cores / Threads | 8/16 | 8/16 | 16/32 | 16/32 | TBD | TBD |
| Budget APU | N/A | Ryzen 2000 Series (Raven Ridge) | Ryzen 3000 Series (Picasso Zen+) | Ryzen 4000 Series (Renoir Zen 2) | Ryzen 5000 Series (Cezanne Zen 3) | Ryzen 5000 Series (Rembrandt Zen 3) |
| Year | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020/2021 | 2020/2021 | 2022 |
Here’s Everything We Know About AMD’s 3rd Gen EPYC Milan ‘Zen 3’ CPU Family
The AMD EPYC Milan processors would succeed the current EPYC Rome lineup. The fundamental change for the EPYC Milan lineup would be the new Zen 3 core architecture which will be based upon an advanced 7nm process node. From what we know and what AMD has officially shown, the AMD Zen 3 based EPYC Milan processors would focus primarily on overall performance per watt enhancements but that doesn’t mean we won’t be looking at core updates.
The AMD EPYC Milan CPUs featuring the Zen 3 core architecture will not only feature a brand new chip architecture but also feature a 19% increase in IPC over Zen 2 processors and a 40% jump in performance per watt based on what we have seen on the consumer level chips. The higher single-core performance jump will put AMD on par with Intel’s next-generation Xeon CPUs while taking the multi-threaded lead even further.
When asked about what kind of performance gain Milan’s CPU core microarchitecture, which is known as Zen 3, will deliver relative to the Zen 2 microarchitecture that Rome relies on in terms of instructions processed per CPU clock cycle (IPC), Norrod observed that — unlike Zen 2, which was more of an evolution of the Zen microarchitecture that powers first-gen Epyc CPUs — Zen 3 will be based on a completely new architecture.
Norrod did qualify his remarks by pointing out that Zen 2 delivered a bigger IPC gain than what’s normal for an evolutionary upgrade — AMD has said it’s about 15% on average — since it implemented some ideas that AMD originally had for Zen but had to leave on the cutting board. However, he also asserted that Zen 3 will deliver performance gains “right in line with what you would expect from an entirely new architecture.”
– The Street
In a previous slide, AMD showed their Zen 3 based 7nm processors offering better performance per watt than Intel’s 10nm Ice Lake-SP Xeon chips. As for the new features, other than featuring its Zen 3 core design, Milan would offer socket compatibility with SP3 platforms, would feature support for DDR4 memory, PCIe 4.0 interface, and is stated to offer 64 cores and 2x the threads (128 threads). The chips will have a TDP rated at 120-225W which is similar to existing Rome parts.
So summing everything up for EPYC Milan, we are looking at the following main features:
- Advanced 7nm Zen 3 cores (~64 core / 128 thread)
- Pin Compatible With SP3 Socket
- 120W-225W TDP SKUs
- PCIe 4.0 Support
- DDR4 Memory Support
- Launch in 2020
Moving forward, as far as the launch date is concerned, AMD has reaffirmed that EPYC Milan CPUs will ship in late 2020. The CPUs will go head to head with Intel’s Cooper Lake-SP 14nm and Ice Lake-SP 10nm CPUs which will be available this year.