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What just happened? Enthusiasts have managed to "hack" AMD's Epyc 4004 processors by fitting them into consumer PC motherboards and pushing them to their limits. Originally designed for small businesses seeking cost-effective server solutions, these chips have found a new lease on life in the hands of overclockers.
The Epyc 4004 chips, which launched in May, feature specs almost identical to AMD's consumer Ryzen 7000 CPUs. Pairing these chips with enthusiast-grade motherboards and advanced cooling solutions has afforded unexpected overclocking headroom.
Leading the charge is overclocker Sergmann, who pushed an Epyc 4124P – a modest 65W quad-core model – to an impressive 6.6 GHz using the B650E Aorus Tachyon board and liquid nitrogen cooling. For context, this four-core chip normally operates at a base clock of 3.8 GHz and a boost clock of 5.1 GHz. Achieving these high speeds also involved boosting memory, with Sergmann using overclocked DDR5-8000 modules.
Several other overclockers have also shared their impressive results with this chip on the HWBOT website.
– HXL (@9550pro) September 14, 2024
What makes this achievement particularly impressive is that the Epyc chips aren't natively supported on consumer Socket AM5 motherboards and were never intended for overclocking. Sergmann likely had to use modified firmware on his B650E board to get the server CPU to work and unlock it for extreme adjustments. The exact method remains unclear as of writing.
Beyond its attractive $149 price, the appeal of overclocking the modest 4124P seems to be driven by the challenge it presents. This chip is unique in the Epyc lineup as it lacks a direct counterpart in the Ryzen series and is also the only quad-core model available.
It's important to note that the 4124P is just one of several Epyc 4004 models, which top out at 16 Zen 4 cores and 170W TDP. Clearly, other models in this lineup offer further potential for exploration.
The hack demonstrates that for users seeking server-grade features on a budget, the Epyc 4004 series could offer a compelling option. However, for the average user, AMD's Ryzen 9000 lineup or Intel's Core Ultra 200 series are likely to be more suitable choices.