At mxNAP, we’re not one to play favorites with hardware. While our technicians have their individual preferences, as a whole, we know the best solutions are the ones that best fit the needs of our clients. That said, there is certainly value in the comparative metric tests available through SPEC (Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation), and at times, the results of these tests are simply too overwhelming to leave much room for debate. In the case of CPUs, this has become especially true with AMD’s 3rd Generation EPYC “Milan” processors.
After placing 1st in all 16 categories of the SPECspeed2017 and SPECrate2017 tests (according to tests run and published by NextPlatform), it’s hard to deny that AMD’s EPYC chips might be the fastest, most efficient processors on the market. But what does that mean for you and your organization? What is it about AMD EPYC that makes these outstanding results possible? Should your company consider making the switch?
What is EPYC?
Designed to utilize their proprietary “Zen” microarchitecture, EPYC is a series of enterprise-grade x86-64 microprocessors designed and released by AMD. With support for more RAM, higher core counts, and increased PCI Express lanes, the EPYC line of processors offer premium alternatives to AMD’s desktop Ryzen models. Designed for large and growing organizations, these processors have been built with scalability, hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI), and cloud native app development in mind. Certified for use with multiple popular virtualization solutions including VMware and Nutanix, and fostering partnerships with major HCI providers like HPE, Dell, and Lenovo, AMD has secured itself as a fixture in data centers around the world. With their long-term focus on hyperconverged infrastructure, AMD can keep your organization on the path of continuous development, all while maximizing the lifetime value of your initial investment.
EPYC Gen 2, which released back in 2019, represented a massive technological leap for AMD, carrying the company from the point of bankruptcy and earning them a strong foothold in an industry previously dominated by Intel. Now, having launched in March of 2021, AMD’s EPYC Gen 3 Milan processors have already broken over 100 world records in categories ranging from HPC to standard enterprise workloads. Utilizing their new Zen 3 architecture, the new Milan processors not only offer higher core counts and increased PCIe 4.0 lanes, but also represent a 19% performance improvement over AMD’s previous generation of processors.
It’s hard to deny that AMD’s EPYC chips might be the fastest, most efficient processors on the market.
With AMD’s market share growing and their chips continuing to lead the charge in powerful, efficient design, the argument over Intel vs. AMD has only grown louder. With the release of both companies’ Gen 3 options though, the fight for supremacy has grown more one-sided than ever.
When it comes to AMD vs. Intel, it’s unlikely there will ever really be a clear winner. Like most things in life, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, with AMD’s new Gen 3 EPYC processors offering more powerful and cost-effective solutions than ever, the gap between these two competitors might be wider than it’s ever been. Depending on your organization’s specific infrastructure and goals though, the larger variety of specialized chips available through Intel might better serve your current needs.
In the end, the best hardware option is the one best suited to you.
