AMD EPYC Embedded 3101

The AMD EPYC Embedded 3101 is a 4-core, 4-thread processor from the EPYC 3001 series, built on the Zen (Snowy Owl) architecture and manufactured by AMD. It operates at a 2.10 GHz base clock and a 2.90 GHz boost clock, with a 35W TDP. Fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14nm process, the die measures 213 mm² and contains 4,800 million transistors. The part targets the server and workstation segment, uses the AMD BGA SP4r2 socket, and carries the part number PE3101BIR4KAF. Production status is active, with a release date of 2018-02-20.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The EPYC Embedded 3101 provides 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning each core executes a single thread with no simultaneous multithreading. This is a deliberate design choice within the Zen architecture, which supports SMT in other parts. The practical effect is that multi-threaded performance scales linearly from 1 to 4 threads and then plateaus; any workload with more than 4 runnable threads will experience queueing on the available execution contexts.

The frequency envelope spans 2.10 GHz base to 2.90 GHz boost. The boost clock of 2.90 GHz provides meaningful headroom above the 2.10 GHz base, which benefits bursty single-threaded tasks that can ramp to the higher frequency for short intervals. Because there is no SMT, a single-threaded process can utilize the full 2.90 GHz boost without contending with a co-resident thread on the same core. Conversely, parallel workloads are strictly limited to 4 threads, so scaling beyond that requires a part with more physical cores.

The cache hierarchy consists of 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3. The shared L3 is a single 8 MB pool accessible by all 4 cores, which is a modest but balanced capacity for a 4-core embedded processor. For real workloads, the combination of a 2.90 GHz boost clock and 8 MB shared L3 favors latency-sensitive, lightly threaded applications such as control-plane logic, packet processing, and real-time monitoring tasks. The memory subsystem is DDR4 in a dual-channel configuration with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth, shared across all cores. ECC memory is supported, which is a critical feature for server and workstation deployments where data integrity is non-negotiable.

Power and Thermals

The 35W TDP is the defining thermal characteristic of the EPYC Embedded 3101. This places the processor in a low-power class, directly dictating the cooling tier required for sustained operation. A 35W part is compatible with compact thermal solutions; the data does not specify a particular cooler, but the thermal design point is clearly modest. The 14nm process node from GlobalFoundries, combined with a 213 mm² die and 4,800 million transistors, indicates a dense transistor layout that achieves this low TDP through a restrained clock strategy, 2.10 GHz base and 2.90 GHz boost.

The socket is AMD BGA SP4r2, a ball-grid-array package. This is a soldered connection rather than a socketed one, which has direct implications for system design: the CPU is permanently attached to the board, and the thermal solution must be designed around the BGA package's thermal interface. The multiplier is not unlocked, so clock speeds are fixed at the factory-defined 2.10 GHz base and 2.90 GHz boost.

The integrated graphics situation is notable: the CPU die itself does not include graphics, but integrated graphics are available on certain motherboards as a chipset feature. This offloads display output from the CPU, keeping the 35W TDP envelope entirely dedicated to compute. For thermal designers, the 35W figure is the number to plan around, and the active production status means the part is a current, supported product.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark record for the EPYC Embedded 3101 is sparse. The benchmarks array is empty, and the average benchmark score is recorded as 0. The single position metric is the percentile versus all CPUs, which is 50. This places the processor at the exact median of the database distribution: half of the tracked CPUs rank at or above this part, and half rank below. It is important to note that this percentile is a database-level rank, not a derived measurement from this sample, because no benchmark scores exist for the part.

The nearestRivals list is empty, so no direct delta comparisons against competing processors are available in the data. In the absence of rival scores, the performance analysis must rely on the architectural specifications: 4 cores, 4 threads, 2.10 GHz base clock, 2.90 GHz boost clock, 8 MB shared L3, and 42.7 GB/s dual-channel DDR4 bandwidth. These figures define the upper and lower bounds of performance. The 2.90 GHz boost clock is the maximum single-thread performance point, while the 4-thread limit caps multi-threaded throughput.

The 50th percentile rank is a meaningful anchor. For a 35W embedded server part, a median position in the database is consistent with a design that prioritizes power efficiency and reliability over raw performance. The empty benchmark array means that this entry cannot report specific score deltas; the data set simply does not contain them. What the data does show is a processor positioned exactly at the midpoint of all CPUs in the database, with no measured scores and no recorded rivals.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the AMD EPYC Embedded 3101 have?

A: It has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning each core supports exactly one thread with no simultaneous multithreading.

Q: What are the base and boost clock speeds?

A: The base clock is 2.10 GHz and the boost clock is 2.90 GHz.

Q: What is the TDP of this processor?

A: The TDP is 35W.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: Yes, ECC memory is supported. The memory interface is DDR4 dual-channel with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What socket does it use?

A: It uses the AMD BGA SP4r2 socket, which is a ball-grid-array package.

Q: Does it have integrated graphics?

A: Integrated graphics are available on certain motherboards as a chipset feature, but not on the CPU die itself.

Who Should Consider It

The EPYC Embedded 3101 is a server and workstation part with a 35W TDP and 4 cores. It is suited for workloads that demand low power consumption, ECC memory reliability, and moderate compute throughput. The 50th percentile rank against all CPUs indicates a median performance level, which is appropriate for embedded control-plane tasks, network appliances, storage controllers, and similar roles where the CPU is not the primary performance bottleneck.

For single-threaded applications, the 2.90 GHz boost clock provides sufficient headroom for responsive operation. The lack of SMT means each core is dedicated to one thread, which can be beneficial for latency-sensitive workloads that do not want co-tenancy on a core. For multi-threaded applications, the 4-core/4-thread configuration caps parallelism at 4 threads; workloads that scale beyond 4 threads will not benefit from this part, and a higher-core-count processor would be required.

The 35W TDP is the defining system-level characteristic. It enables compact thermal solutions, which is critical in embedded chassis with limited airflow and space. The ECC memory support, delivered over DDR4 dual-channel at 42.7 GB/s, is a strong point for deployments where data corruption is unacceptable. The 32 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU provide ample connectivity for peripherals, storage controllers, and network interfaces. The lack of on-die graphics means that any display output must come from a chipset-provided solution on the motherboard, so system designers should plan accordingly.

The production status is active, and the release date is 2018-02-20. For a system integrator building a low-power server appliance, the EPYC Embedded 3101 offers 4 Zen cores at a 35W TDP with ECC DDR4 memory support and 32 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. The median percentile rank of 50 indicates that this is neither a high-end performer nor a low-end part; it sits squarely in the middle of the CPU distribution, which is a reasonable position for an embedded processor whose primary virtues are power efficiency and reliability rather than peak performance.