AMD EPYC 9654P

The AMD EPYC 9654P is a 96-core, 192-thread server/workstation processor from the EPYC 9004 series, built on the Zen 4 (Genoa) architecture. It runs at a 2.40 GHz base clock and a 3.70 GHz boost clock, with a 360 W TDP, and its average benchmark score across the database is 24,465, placing it in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. It uses AMD Socket SP5.

Platform and Compatibility

The EPYC 9654P uses AMD Socket SP5. Memory support is DDR5 across a twelve-channel bus with 460.8 GB/s of bandwidth, and ECC memory is supported. The cache hierarchy is 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 384 MB of shared L3. PCIe support is Gen 5, with 128 lanes available from the CPU, and there is no integrated graphics. The processor is manufactured on TSMC's 5 nm process, with 78,840 million transistors and a die size listed as 12x 72 mm². It belongs to the EPYC 9004 series under the Zen 4 (Genoa) generation, with a market segment of Server/Workstation. Production status is active, the release date is 2022-11-09, and the part number is 100-100000803. The multiplier is not unlocked, so the platform path is defined by the Socket SP5 interface.

Power and Thermals

The TDP is 360 W. That is the thermal design limit supplied in the data, and it places the EPYC 9654P in a high-power class. With 96 cores and 192 threads reaching a 3.70 GHz boost clock, sustained multi-threaded workloads will produce a substantial thermal load. The benchmark results show why that power envelope exists: the R23 multi-core score is 98,875, which indicates a chip designed to maintain high throughput across many cores. A cooling solution for this processor must be chosen with the 360 W TDP in mind, and the overall system thermal design needs to match that class of heat output. The 5 nm process provides density, but it does not lower the TDP figure listed in the specifications.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The benchmark data shows a clear divide between single-thread and multi-thread performance. In Cinebench R15, the single-core score is 1,406, while the multi-core score is 9,966. In R20, the single-core score is 5,862 and the multi-core score is 41,527. In R23, the single-core score is 13,958, with a multi-core score of 98,875. Geekbench follows the same pattern: 1,981 single-core versus 22,141 multi-core. Across every test, the multi-core result is far larger than the single-core result. That points to a processor optimized for parallel execution. A single-threaded task will only see the performance of one core at up to the 3.70 GHz boost clock, while a well-parallelized task can use all 192 threads. The single-thread numbers are not the defining feature; the multi-thread output is.

Who Should Consider It

The data points to workloads that can exploit 96 cores and 192 threads. Server and workstation applications that benefit from ECC memory, twelve-channel DDR5 bandwidth of 460.8 GB/s, and 128 Gen 5 lanes fit the platform's design. Creation workloads that scale across many cores align with the high multi-core scores: R23 multi-core is 98,875, R20 multi-core is 41,527, and R15 multi-core is 9,966. Office use that depends on lightly threaded tasks will not use the processor's main strength, since the single-core scores are much smaller than the multi-core results. Gaming is not an obvious fit, because there is no integrated graphics and the single-thread scores are modest relative to the chip's multi-thread capability. The intended audience is workloads that need high core throughput, wide memory bandwidth, and extensive PCIe expansion.

Benchmark Performance

The EPYC 9654P records an average benchmark score of 24,465, which places it in the 81st percentile of all CPUs. The Cinebench multi-core results are 9,966 in R15, 41,527 in R20, and 98,875 in R23. The Geekbench multi-core result is 22,141. Single-core results are 1,406 in R15, 5,862 in R20, 13,958 in R23, and 1,981 in Geekbench. Against its nearest rivals by average score, the EPYC 9654P is slightly below each one. It trails the Intel Core Ultra 7 266V by 0.1%, with that rival averaging 24,501. It trails the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U by 0.2%, with that rival averaging 24,517. It trails the Intel Core i5-11600 by 0.4%, with that rival averaging 24,559. It trails the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D by 0.6%, with that rival averaging 24,605. All four deltaPct values are negative, so the EPYC 9654P sits just below this cluster in the composite metric despite its 96-core, server-oriented specification.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the AMD EPYC 9654P use?

A: It uses AMD Socket SP5.

Q: What memory support does the processor have?

A: DDR5 memory on a twelve-channel bus with 460.8 GB/s of bandwidth and ECC support.

Q: How many PCIe lanes does the CPU provide?

A: It provides PCIe Gen 5 with 128 lanes available from the CPU.

Q: What is the cache configuration?

A: 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 384 MB of shared L3.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplier is not unlocked.

Q: What is the launch MSRP?

A: The launch MSRP is $10625.

How It Compares

Intel Core Ultra 7 266V: The EPYC 9654P's average score of 24,465 is 0.1% below the Intel Core Ultra 7 266V's 24,501. The two processors are effectively tied in the composite metric, despite the EPYC's server/workstation positioning.

AMD Ryzen 5 8640U: Against the AMD Ryzen 5 8640U, the EPYC 9654P trails by 0.2%, with the rival averaging 24,517. The deltaPct is small enough that the average benchmark score places them in the same band.

Intel Core i5-11600: The gap to the Intel Core i5-11600 is 0.4%, with the rival averaging 24,559. Again, the composite positions the EPYC 9654P just below, but within a narrow range.

AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D: The largest gap of the four nearest rivals is 0.6%, against the AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D's 24,605. Even this closest-listed comparison leaves the EPYC 9654P only slightly behind in average score.