AMD's Second Generation EPYC Processors: A Look Back and Forward
Has AMD managed to seize victory in the chip battlefield?
In 2019, AMD made a significant impact in the server market with the launch of its second generation EPYC processors, codenamed Rome. This marked a turning point for AMD, as they gained market share from Intel in the desktop market after the launch of the Zen-based Ryzen processors.
However, Intel faced supply issues with its 14nm parts due to delays in shifting to 10nm, giving AMD a clear run for the rest of the year. The second generation AMD EPYC processors, while no longer leading-edge, offered strong multi-threaded performance and good power efficiency compared to older Intel Xeon processors.
Performance and Efficiency
Newer AMD EPYC models, such as Genoa and Bergamo, currently dominate general-purpose and many server workloads. They deliver up to 2.5 times higher multi-core scores than Intel Xeon Gold chips. AMD EPYC processors, benefiting from chiplet design and newer process technologies, generally offer better performance-per-watt than Intel Xeon.
Virtualization and Security
AMD EPYC features like Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) provide hardware-level VM isolation, making them ideal for multi-tenant cloud deployments. While Intel Xeon still has mature TXT tech, broader legacy software support contributes to its stickiness in enterprise IT.
Market Trends
Lenovo ThinkSystem benchmark leadership includes a large number of world records with various generations of Intel Xeon and AMD EPYC. However, only a small number (2 out of 659) of current world record benchmarks use second generation AMD EPYC, indicating market preference for newer AMD and Intel models in 2025. AMD EPYC offers the best general-purpose performance per dollar and watt in 2025 for most workloads, with Intel Xeon still preferred for some legacy or latency-sensitive workloads.
Intel Xeon continues to evolve with multiple generations (2nd to 5th gen in active use) maintaining relevance with optimizations in AI accelerators and software ecosystem support.
Comparison Table
| Aspect | AMD 2nd Gen EPYC (Naples) | Latest AMD EPYC (Genoa, Bergamo, 4th/5th Gen) | Intel Xeon (2nd to 5th Gen) | |-----------------------------|-----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------| | Performance | Strong for its release year | Up to 2.5× higher multi-core, better power efficiency[1] | Competitive in latency-sensitive & legacy workloads[1][3] | | Power Efficiency | Good, but surpassed by newer AMD | Leading performance per watt among major server CPUs[1][4] | Improved but generally less efficient than AMD[1] | | Virtualization & Security | Basic hardware isolation features | Advanced SEV for VM isolation, ideal for cloud consolidation[1] | Mature TXT tech, broader legacy software support[1] | | Market Presence 2025 | Limited in new server benchmarks | Large share of benchmark records and server deployments[2] | Strong presence with multiple active generations[2] | | Price & TCO (Total Cost Ownership) | Better than Intel of same era | Best performance per dollar, power savings enabling consolidation[4] | More expensive per workload in many cases[3][4] |
Key Points
- AMD's second generation EPYC processors are no longer leading-edge and are less commonly deployed in new high-performance benchmarks or systems in 2025.
- Newer AMD EPYC generations dominate general-purpose and many server workloads, outperforming current Intel Xeon in multi-threaded and efficiency metrics.
- Intel Xeon remains relevant for some specialized or latency-sensitive workloads, with broad ecosystem software support contributing to its stickiness in enterprise IT.
- Market trends favor deployment of the latest AMD EPYC models for better performance, power, and consolidation, rather than the second generation ones.
In conclusion, while second generation AMD EPYC CPUs offered excellent performance at launch, today's server market and performance leadership are driven by AMD's later generation EPYC processors rather than their second generation, especially when compared to Intel Xeon. AMD's momentum is clearly forward, with the company executing on competitive products and gaining revenue to invest in the next generation. End-customers benefit from increased competition as it leads to quicker technological innovations and more competitive pricing.
Technology advancements in the realm of cybersecurity are becoming increasingly crucial as AMD's latest EPYC processors, such as Genoa and Bergamo, prioritize secure encryption options like Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV) for hardware-level VM isolation, enhancing their appeal for multi-tenant cloud deployments. Meanwhile, the evolving Intel Xeon processors maintain relevance with optimizations in AI accelerators and software ecosystem support, aiming to address specific needs in enterprise IT.
