AMD EPYC 7473X 24c/48t 2.8GHz-3.7GHz 240W (100-000000507)

AMD EPYC 7473X Server CPU

Positioning and role in the EPYC 7003 lineup

AMD EPYC 7473X is a 3rd Gen EPYC “Milan” processor from the X-series with 3D V-Cache, designed for workloads where cache capacity and memory latency dominate performance outcomes. It targets data-intensive enterprise and technical workloads that benefit from keeping very large working sets close to the CPU cores. Within the EPYC 7003 family, the 7473X is positioned as a specialist solution for analytics, databases, simulation, and high-value compute tasks rather than a general-purpose throughput processor.

Core configuration, frequency behavior, and execution profile

The processor provides 24 cores and 48 threads, operating at a 2.8 GHz base clock with boost frequencies up to 3.7 GHz. Compared to frequency-optimized F-series parts, the 7473X runs at more conservative clock speeds, which is an intentional trade-off to support its massive cache architecture. In practice, this design favors workloads where performance is limited by memory access latency and cache misses rather than raw compute frequency.

Zen 3 cores ensure strong per-thread efficiency and predictable scaling across threads, making the 7473X effective for parallel workloads that repeatedly access large shared datasets.

3D V-Cache architecture and workload impact

The defining feature of EPYC 7473X is its 768 MB of L3 cache, enabled by AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology. This extremely large cache allows significantly more data to be served directly from cache instead of DRAM. For professionals, this can translate into measurable performance gains in scenarios such as analytics engines and complex query workloads, in-memory and hybrid databases with large index structures, electronic design automation and simulation, and scientific and technical computing with cache-friendly access patterns.

The performance benefit depends on workload characteristics, but when the active data set fits largely within cache, reduced memory latency and lower bandwidth pressure can outweigh differences in clock speed or core count.

Memory subsystem and capacity planning

EPYC 7473X supports DDR4-3200 memory across 8 memory channels, consistent with the EPYC 7003 platform. Although 3D V-Cache reduces dependency on DRAM for many workloads, proper memory configuration remains important. Symmetric DIMM population and sufficient memory capacity help avoid paging and cache thrashing, ensuring stable performance under sustained load.

The combination of large L3 cache and high aggregate memory bandwidth provides predictable performance for cache-optimized workloads running continuously in production environments.

I/O capabilities and platform fit

The processor supports PCI Express 4.0 with up to 128 lanes per socket, enabling dense NVMe storage configurations and high-speed networking without external PCIe switches. This makes EPYC 7473X suitable for data platforms that require both fast storage access and large cache capacity.

The CPU uses the SP3 socket and supports both single-socket and dual-socket server designs, depending on platform validation. This flexibility allows the processor to be deployed in a wide range of enterprise server architectures.

Power characteristics and deployment considerations

EPYC 7473X is rated at 240 W TDP, reflecting the power requirements of its cache-heavy design. Robust server-grade cooling and sufficient airflow are required to maintain stable operation under sustained load. In return, the processor delivers consistent performance for cache-sensitive workloads that would otherwise be limited by memory latency.

Ideal use cases and selection guidance

EPYC 7473X is best suited for environments where large cache capacity is a primary performance driver. Typical use cases include analytics and query-heavy database platforms, simulation, modeling, electronic design automation, and scientific computing. For general-purpose virtualization or throughput-oriented scaling, non-X EPYC models are often more cost-effective. EPYC 7473X should be selected when profiling confirms that memory latency and cache misses are the dominant bottlenecks.