Socket Geek

SP6 socket: CPUs, chipsets and cooler fit

SP6 is AMD's compact server socket for the EPYC 8004 Siena and EPYC 8005 Sorano edge families. It is a land grid array socket with 4,844 contacts, and the package measures 58.5 × 75.4 mm. AMD launched it in September 2023 with Siena, and Sorano followed in 2026 on the same socket.

Quick facts

MakerAMD
Package typeLGA
Contacts4,844
Package size58.5 × 75.4 mm
IntroducedSeptember 2023
StatusCurrent
MemoryDDR5 ECC, 6 channels (up to DDR5-4800 on Siena, DDR5-6400 on Sorano)
PCIe from the CPUPCIe 5.0 with 96 lanes, plus 8 PCIe 3.0 lanes on Sorano. CXL on Sorano.
Cooler mounting holesBoard specific (server heatsink)
ReplacesSP3
Replaced byNone

Overview

The socket trades the memory channels and sockets of SP5 for footprint and efficiency. Six channels of DDR5 ECC memory and 96 lanes of PCIe 5.0 serve single-socket boards for telco, retail and factory edge sites, where a small chassis matters more than peak core count.

Sorano keeps the socket and raises everything else: Zen 5 cores, DDR5-6400 speeds and up to 84 cores at 225 W. A Siena board can take a Sorano chip of the same power class after a BIOS update, which makes the socket a genuine upgrade path at the edge.

Processor generations

CodenameMarketing nameYearsNotes
SienaEPYC 8004 series2023Zen 4c edge processors from 8 to 64 cores, launched in September 2023.
SoranoEPYC 8005 series2026Zen 5 edge processors from 8 to 84 cores, including the 7 models in this batch. Drop-in on Siena boards after a BIOS update.

Memory layout

Each SP6 processor carries 6 channels of DDR5 ECC memory, up to 3 TB per socket on Sorano at DDR5-6400 speeds. Siena boards run DDR5-4800. Fewer channels than SP5 is the deliberate trade for board size and power, and edge working sets usually fit the 64 MB to 384 MB of L3 on the chip.

A Sorano chip in a Siena board may run memory at the board's older qualified speed. Check the vendor list for the exact DIMM speeds per board and BIOS before mixing generations.

PCIe and CXL

SP6 exposes 96 lanes of PCIe 5.0, with 8 extra PCIe 3.0 lanes on Sorano, plus CXL for memory expansion on Sorano. That lane budget feeds NVMe storage, networking and accelerators on a single-socket board without the cost of a bigger socket.

Boards vary in how lanes reach slots and connectors, so the block diagram of the exact board decides real expansion. The single-socket limit keeps topologies simple: no inter-socket link to tune.

Power and cooling

SP6 parts span 70 W to 225 W of configurable TDP, all single-socket. The 8-core 8025P starts at 95 W while the 84-core 8635P tops the range at 225 W. Vendor-qualified air cooling covers the range on edge boards.

Because every model is single-socket, scaling out means more nodes rather than bigger nodes. Power classes map to chassis airflow, so match the processor to the board's qualified list.

CPUs on SP6

25 processor pages in the database, newest first.

ProcessorCores / threadsBase / boostTDPLaunched
AMD EPYC 8025P8 / 162.9 / 4.5 GHz95 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC 8125P16 / 322.65 / 4.5 GHz125 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC 8225P24 / 482.95 / 4.5 GHz160 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC 8325P32 / 642.7 / 4.5 GHz175 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC 8435P48 / 962.45 / 4.5 GHz200 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC 8535P64 / 1282.0 / 4.5 GHz210 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC 8635P84 / 1681.6 / 4.5 GHz225 WMay 2026
AMD EPYC Embedded 8434P48 / 962.5 / 3.1 GHz200 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC Embedded 8534P64 / 1282.3 / 3.1 GHz200 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8024P8 / 162.4 / 3.0 GHz90 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8024PN8 / 162.05 / 3.0 GHz80 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8124P16 / 322.45 / 3.0 GHz125 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8124PN16 / 322.0 / 3.0 GHz100 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8224P24 / 482.55 / 3.0 GHz160 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8224PN24 / 482.0 / 3.0 GHz120 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8324P32 / 642.65 / 3.0 GHz180 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8324PN32 / 642.05 / 3.0 GHz130 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8434P48 / 962.5 / 3.1 GHz200 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8434PN48 / 962.0 / 3.0 GHz155 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8534P64 / 1282.3 / 3.1 GHz200 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC 8534PN64 / 1282.0 / 3.1 GHz175 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC Embedded 8124P16 / 322.45 / 3.0 GHz125 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC Embedded 8224P24 / 482.55 / 3.0 GHz160 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC Embedded 8324P32 / 642.65 / 3.0 GHz180 WSep 2023
AMD EPYC Embedded 8C24P12 / 242.45 / 3.0 GHz100 WSep 2023

Frequently asked questions

Which processors fit SP6?

EPYC 8004 Siena and EPYC 8005 Sorano processors, from 8 cores to 84 cores. All are single-socket P models. SP5 and SP8 parts do not fit.

Does SP6 support two sockets?

No. Every SP6 processor is single-socket only, which is the point of the platform: small edge boards with lower power and cost than SP5.

Do Sorano CPUs work in Siena boards?

Yes, after a BIOS update from the board maker. Sorano is drop-in compatible with Siena boards at the same power class, but memory speed may stay at the board's qualified limit.

What memory does SP6 use?

DDR5 ECC RDIMM in 6 channels, up to DDR5-4800 on Siena and DDR5-6400 on Sorano. The board qualifies exact speeds.

Sources and verification

  1. Socket SP6 (Wikipedia)
  2. AMD EPYC 8004 Siena Processors with New SP6 Platform (TechPowerUp)
  3. AMD EPYC 8005 Server CPUs (AMD)
  4. AMD EPYC 8635P Sorano Benchmarks (Phoronix)

Facts last checked against these sources on . Page last edited on .