AMD has launched the new AMD EPYC 8005 Server CPUs, a family of single-socket processors designed for space- and power-constrained environments such as edge computing, telecommunications, and cloud storage. The CPUs feature up to 84 “Zen 5” cores with a thermal design power (TDP) ranging from 70 to 225 watts.
Compared to the previous-generation AMD EPYC 8004 series, the new 64-core predecessor’s successor achieves a 40% higher top-of-stack integer performance and 9.5% higher performance per watt. The 84-core AMD EPYC 8635P delivers more than double the cores of the 40-core Intel Xeon 6716P-B at 10 watts lower TDP, according to AMD’s internal benchmarks.
Performance and efficiency comparisons
The AMD EPYC 8005 Server CPUs offer 2.1x the cores (84 vs 40), 10 watts lower TDP (225W vs 235W), and 91% higher integer performance than the Intel Xeon 6716P-B. Against other edge CPU alternatives, the EPYC 8635P delivers 24,408 overall ssj_ops/watt, compared to 21,433 for the Intel Xeon 6776P-B and 13,218 for the NVIDIA Grace CPU Superchip.
The CPUs support DDR5-6400 memory with six channels, 96 lanes of PCIe Gen 5, and full x86 and AVX-512 compatibility. This combination provides a balanced mix of compute, memory, and bandwidth for dense edge deployments.
Telco and edge applications
Early adopters have demonstrated the AMD EPYC 8005 Server CPUs in real-world scenarios. Samsung deployed its multi-cell vRAN on a single server equipped with the 84-core EPYC 8635P, achieving 54 cell networks with 9.5 Gb/s downlink and 2.0 Gb/s uplink throughput. Samsung’s vice president and head of vRAN Software R&D Group, Michael Kim, said the combination of AMD’s processing technology and Samsung’s vRAN software accelerates the transition to AI-ready, cloud-native networks.
“By combining AMD’s processing technology with Samsung’s commercially proven vRAN software, we are accelerating the industry’s transition to AI-ready, cloud-native networks.”
Michael Kim, Vice President and Head of vRAN Software R&D Group Networks Business, Samsung Electronics
In the retail sector, WobotAI uses in-store servers with AMD EPYC 8005 CPUs to run intelligent video AI agents. Company president Will Kelso noted that the platform runs entirely at the edge with less reliance on GPUs and the cloud.
Cloud storage and future outlook
For cloud storage, the AMD EPYC 8005 Server CPUs offer up to 84 cores, 96 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, and fast DDR5 memory. AMD claims that single-socket servers with the EPYC 8635P deliver approximately 1.23x CephFS RADOS throughput compared to the previous-generation EPYC 8534P. The CPUs are designed to allow operators to consolidate workloads onto fewer nodes, reducing power and cooling demands while maintaining x86 continuity.
The new processors are available now from AMD’s partners. They provide an option for deployments where space, thermal, or power budgets require a lower-power, compact design, complementing the flagship AMD EPYC 9005 series for mainstream data center workloads.
