Intel Xeon & AMD EPYC Model Numbers Explained
Decode Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC naming schemes by generation digit, product tier, performance position, and suffix. The tables below also map each model number to its codename, socket, memory generation, and closest competitor.
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From model number to live CPU market
Use these selected later-generation examples to connect each naming pattern with real model specifications and observed market evidence.
Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC naming in 30 seconds
Every segment of the model number has a job. The green box — the generation digit — is the one that matters most.
Intel Xeon Gold 6338AMD EPYC 9654★ Intel and AMD put the generation marker in different positions. Xeon Scalable uses the second digit in its legacy 4-digit scheme; EPYC uses the final digit. Confirm the codename, socket, and memory generation before treating two processors as comparable.
Intel Xeon model numbers decoded
The tier system
Xeon Scalable has four named tiers. The tier appears in the product name and is also reflected in the first digit of the 4-digit model number.
| Tier | Max cores | Socket support | Typical buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 10 | Single-socket | Entry workloads, cost-constrained deployments |
| Silver | 24 | Single or dual-socket | Mid-range general-purpose servers |
| Gold 5xxx | 28 | Dual-socket | Standard enterprise dual-socket builds |
| Gold 6xxx | 28 | Dual-socket, full memory bandwidth | Memory-intensive workloads — database, analytics |
| Platinum | 40 | Up to 8-socket | Mission-critical, scale-up NUMA systems |
The 4-digit model number
The model number (e.g. 6338) is a 4-digit code that follows the tier name. Each digit position carries a specific meaning:
- First digit — encodes the tier (5 = Gold 5xxx, 6 = Gold 6xxx, 8 = Platinum, etc.)
- Second digit — the generation. This is the most important digit when comparing chips across vendors or builds.
- Last two digits — position within the generation. Higher generally means more cores, more cache, or higher base clock.
Example: 6338 = Gold 6xxx tier → 3rd generation (Ice Lake) → position 38 in that generation.
Generation decoder
The second digit of the model number tells you the platform generation — socket, memory type, and the competitive era the chip belongs to.
| 2nd digit | Codename | Year | Socket | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Skylake-SP | 2017 | LGA3647 | DDR4-2666 |
| 2 | Cascade Lake | 2019 | LGA3647 | DDR4-2933 |
| 3 | Ice Lake | 2021 | LGA4189 | DDR4-3200 |
| 4 | Sapphire Rapids | 2023 | LGA4677 | DDR5-4800 |
| 5 | Emerald Rapids | 2024 | LGA4677 | DDR5-5600 |
| 6 | Granite Rapids | 2024–25 | LGA4710 / LGA7529 | DDR5-6400 |
Suffix letters
An optional suffix after the model number indicates a specialized variant. Most chips on the secondary market are unsuffixed.
| Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| N | Network-optimized — extra PCIe lanes, QuickAssist acceleration |
| T | Thermal / long-life — extended temperature range, industrial deployments |
| L | Large memory — expanded NUMA support beyond standard configuration |
| M | Media — integrated media transcode or QuickAssist |
| Y | Speed Select — configurable TDP and frequency bins |
| P | Cloud / IaaS — ISA-locked for cloud platform use |
| V | VM density — larger L3 cache, NUMA-optimized for virtualization |
| H | HBM — High Bandwidth Memory variant |
| + | Refresh — minor die or firmware revision within the same generation |
Intel dropped the tier system for Xeon 6. There is no Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum. Instead, Xeon 6 uses core architecture as the primary differentiator: P-core (Performance-core, high single-thread throughput) vs E-core (Efficient-core, high density and throughput at lower TDP). The 4-digit model numbering continues, but there is no tier name in the product string. If you see “Xeon 6” without a tier, look for the P or E suffix.
AMD EPYC model numbers decoded
The series system
The first digit of the model number identifies the EPYC series — which maps to a specific socket and market segment.
| Prefix | Series | Socket | Market |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7xxx | Naples, Rome, Milan, Milan-X | SP3 | Mainstream datacenter (2017–2022) |
| 9xxx | Genoa, Bergamo, Turin | SP5 | Current-generation datacenter (2022–present) |
| 8xxx | Siena | SP6 | Edge, telco, dense cloud |
| 4xxx | Ryzen-derived | AM5 | Budget / single-socket workstation class |
The 4-digit model number
Each digit of the EPYC model number encodes a specific dimension of the chip:
- First digit — series (7 = SP3 mainstream, 9 = SP5 current-gen)
- Second digit — part of the relative performance and core-count position within the series.
- Third digit — further distinguishes the model’s relative position within the family.
- Fourth digit — generation (1 = Naples, 2 = Rome, 3 = Milan, 4 = Genoa/Bergamo, 5 = Turin).
Example: 9654 = 9xxx series (SP5) → relative position 65 → 4th-generation EPYC (Genoa).
Generation decoder
The final digit identifies the EPYC generation. The table uses wildcard patterns for the middle digits, which distinguish models within a generation and series.
| Model prefix | Codename | Year | Socket | Memory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7xx1 | Naples | 2017 | SP3 | DDR4-2666 |
| 7xx2 | Rome | 2019 | SP3 | DDR4-3200 |
| 7xx3 | Milan / Milan-X | 2021 | SP3 | DDR4-3200 |
| 9xx4 | Genoa | 2022 | SP5 | DDR5-4800 |
| 97x4 | Bergamo | 2023 | SP5 | DDR5-4800 |
| 9xx5 | Turin | 2024 | SP5 | DDR5-6000 |
| 99x5 | Turin Dense | 2025 | SP5 | DDR5-6400 |
x = wildcard digit; prefix shows the pattern, not an exact match.
Suffix letters
EPYC suffixes are less common than Xeon suffixes, but each one meaningfully changes the chip’s trade-off profile.
| Suffix | Meaning |
|---|---|
| F | High frequency — boosted base and boost clocks, fewer cores |
| P | Single-socket only — reduced inter-socket logic, lower cost |
| X | 3D V-Cache — stacked L3 cache for latency-sensitive workloads (gaming, EDA, CFD) |
| H | HPC-optimized — high core count, tuned for parallel throughput |
How to compare Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC
When are two chips directly comparable?
Two chips are most useful to compare when they target similar workloads in the same platform era. Do not match Intel and AMD by digit position alone: Intel and AMD encode generation differently. A Xeon Gold 6338 (Ice Lake) and an EPYC 7xx3 (Milan) are both 2021-era DDR4 server processors, but they use different sockets and platforms. Compare workload, core count, memory, I/O, power, and total platform cost before choosing.
Cross-generation caveats
Architecture, memory, and I/O improvements mean a newer chip with a lower model number can outperform an older chip with a higher model number. Clock speed and core count alone can mislead across generations. Compare within the same platform era first, then evaluate generation-to-generation upgrades with workload-specific benchmarks and platform costs.
Intel vs AMD rough equivalents
These pairings are directional — they competed in the same market window, not necessarily at the same price point or workload.
| Intel Xeon | AMD EPYC | Era |
|---|---|---|
| Ice Lake (3xxx — gen 3) | Milan / Milan-X (7xx3) | 2021–22 · LGA4189 / SP3 · DDR4 |
| Sapphire Rapids (4xxx — gen 4) | Genoa (9xx4) | 2022–23 · LGA4677 / SP5 · DDR5 |
| Emerald Rapids (5xxx — gen 5) | Genoa-X / early Turin (9xx4–5) | 2024 · LGA4677 / SP5 · DDR5 |
| Granite Rapids (6xxx — gen 6) | Turin Dense (99x5) | 2024–25 · LGA4710 / SP5 · DDR5 |
Older generations (Skylake / Naples, Cascade Lake / Rome) are not shown — they are retired from active procurement in most environments.
How this connects to pricing
Chips from the same generation compete for the same workloads, so their secondary market prices can respond to similar refresh and procurement cycles. A Sapphire Rapids Xeon and a Genoa EPYC may be evaluated in the same buying window, but they are not interchangeable: socket, platform, workload fit, and installed-base demand still shape separate markets. Cross-generation prices can also reflect different buyers and inventory dynamics.
When you see a price signal on MarketSignalIndex, the generation digit tells you which demand pool that price belongs to. A wide spread within a generation usually means mixed core counts trading together. A wide spread across generations means you’re looking at different markets, not volatility.
Browse live pricing for Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC processors