Home / Technology / AMD EPYC 9996: 256 Cores, $14,904 Price Tag
AMD EPYC 9996: 256 Cores, $14,904 Price Tag
2 Oct
Summary
- AMD's new EPYC 9996 features 256 cores and 512 threads.
- The flagship chip is priced at $14,904 per 1,000 units.
- This processor marks AMD's highest single CPU price to date.
AMD's 6th Gen EPYC 9006 "Venice" processor family is now fully detailed, with its flagship, the EPYC 9996, setting new company records. This top-tier CPU features 256 Zen 6c cores and 512 threads, supported by 1,024MB of L3 cache and a 600W power rating. It is available on AMD's new SP7 socket.
The EPYC 9996 is listed at $14,904 on a per-1,000-unit basis, making it the most expensive single CPU AMD has ever released. This pricing strategy reflects AMD's efforts to capture a larger share of the growing AI market, leveraging its CPU and GPU strengths. Notably, this price is only slightly higher than its predecessor, the EPYC 9965, which launched in October 2024 for $14,813, despite the significant increase in core count.
This new processor offers substantial upgrades, including PCIe 6.0 connectivity and MRDIMM support for enhanced memory bandwidth, crucial for AI workloads. While PCIe 6.0 is anticipated for PCs around 2030, MRDIMM technology's future integration into standard servers remains uncertain. AMD currently holds a significant 46% of the server CPU market revenue, positioning its previous generation as a competitive option against a still-catching-up Intel.
