AMD recognizes that not every customer has the ambition to create an unprecedented AI-optimized HPC deployment. For everyone looking for efficient performance for mainstream server applications, the chip specialist is offering new CPUs that are based on a slightly older architecture.

Zen 3 is not allowed to retire yet. Although AMD launched its fourth generation of Epyc data center processors last year, the chip specialist still sees a lot of work for the previous generation. The third generation Epyc 7003 series, based on Zen 3 instead of Zen 4, will have six new members. AMD makes this choice because it wants to meet the demand for efficient, straightforward mainstream performance. Not everyone wants to experience the latest developments in AI, and AMD is realizing that a gap is emerging between the needs of certain companies on the one hand and the potentially excessive performance of new chips on the other.

The new Zen 3 chips are therefore designed for the mid-range and especially for companies that need mainstream performance. The CPUs do not support the latest standards: they are limited to DDR4 and PCIe 4.0. This is not a disaster, as these standards are more than sufficient for mainstream users. In exchange for the more modest specifications, AMD offers a more attractive price.

AMD launches the following new Epyc 7003 Milan processors:

In addition, AMD announces that it will continue to support Milan for a longer period of time. CPUs from the range will be available through 2026, allowing customers to upgrade at their own pace and not be forced to buy more advanced technology than they need, it said. Servers with AMD Epyc 7003 CPUs are available from all major manufacturers.