AMD has announced the expansion of its x86 embedded processor lineup with the introduction of the 5th Gen AMD EPYC™ Embedded 9005 Series. These new processors are engineered to meet the evolving demands of embedded applications, delivering high-performance computing, energy efficiency, and enhanced system resiliency. Built on AMD’s “Zen 5” architecture, these processors are designed to power networking, storage, and industrial edge systems, allowing them to process data faster and more efficiently.
Addressing the Growing Demands of AI, Networking, and Edge Computing
With increasing AI-driven network traffic, rising storage demands, and the expansion of industrial edge computing, high-performance embedded platforms are more critical than ever. Salil Raje, SVP and General Manager of Adaptive and Embedded Computing at AMD, highlighted the need for greater compute efficiency in embedded systems, emphasizing that AMD’s latest processors offer industry-leading performance, efficiency, and reliability for “always-on” environments.
Unmatched Core Density, Performance, and Energy Efficiency
The AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series supports a scalable core count ranging from 8 to 192 cores in a single socket, making it ideal for compute-intensive embedded applications. These processors offer:
- Up to 1.3x higher data processing throughput for networking workloads
- Up to 1.6x increased performance in storage applications
- Improved energy efficiency with the new “Zen 5c” core architecture, offering a 1.3x boost in performance per watt
- Expanded memory and I/O support, including up to 6TB of DDR5 memory per socket and 160 PCIe® Gen5 lanes with CXL® 2.0
These features enable seamless storage expansion, high-speed data transfers, and optimized computing for networking, security, and industrial applications.
Designed for Long-Term Reliability & Embedded Applications
To meet the long lifecycle demands of embedded markets, the EPYC Embedded 9005 Series offers:
Extended product longevity – 7 years of manufacturing support and plans to extend design lifetime operation to ensure long-term system stability Enhanced system resiliency – Features like Non-Transparent Bridging (NTB) enable fault-tolerant multi-host configurations for high availability and redundancy in networking and storage solutions Mission-critical data protection – DRAM Flush technology prevents data loss during power failures by transferring it to non-volatile memory Secure boot and authentication – Dual SPI bootloader support ensures a trusted execution environment
Simplified Embedded System Development
The EPYC Embedded 9005 Series is designed to simplify application development through:
- Yocto framework support for customized Linux distributions
- SPDK (Storage Performance Development Kit) and DPDK (Data Plane Development Kit) for optimized performance in storage and networking applications
Industry Collaboration & Market Availability
AMD is working with major OEMs and technology leaders, including Cisco and IBM, to bring the 5th Gen EPYC Embedded processors to market.
- Cisco selected the EPYC Embedded 9005 Series for its high-end firewall products, citing the processors’ scalability (up to 192 cores) and high memory & I/O bandwidth.
- IBM is integrating these processors into its Storage Scale System 6000 to enhance data availability and connectivity for AI workloads.
Availability
The AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series is currently available for early access customers, with full production shipments expected in Q2 2025. The processors retain compatibility with the SP5 socket, ensuring an easy upgrade path from the previous EPYC Embedded 9004 Series.
With cutting-edge performance, advanced security, and long-term reliability, AMD’s latest embedded processors are poised to revolutionize networking, storage, and industrial computing applications.
