AMD may be set to take on some of Google’s datacentre business, sapping what it can away from market leaders Intel. The move would mark a major step towards gaining all-important market share for AMD. For the last decade, the server market has been overwhelmingly Intel, with the red team hoping to start the push back with its EPYC CPUs on the Zen architecture.

Lynx Equity Research claims its analysts are hearing “rumblings” of dissatisfaction over at Google towards Intel’s server platform. Instead, research in the hardware supply chain suggests that server boards earmarked for Google are being produced for EPYC CPUs rather than the usual Intel Xeon fare.

AMD EPYC Rome CPUs are set to take on the Intel challenge from here on out. These are produced using the same Zen 2 architecture found within Ryzen 3000’s chiplets, however, these chunky processors will be available with up to eight 7nm CCDs, each with up to eight cores across dual CCXs, surrounding the central 14nm I/O cIOD. A little multiplication later and we’re talking up to 64 cores and 128 threads per socket.

Potentially these processors, or at least the AMD platform, could have swayed some big business in Google – so says the latest report (via Seeking Alpha). But this is still founded on only whispers through the grapevine, so it’s far from a done deal.

Google has been working closely with AMD recently on its Google Stadia streaming platform. The streaming service, which kicks off in November, is set to use custom AMD graphics technology to power its touted 4K experience. It was also heavily-speculated that AMD would be providing its EPYC chips to the service, despite the tacit mention of Intel’s own ‘Hyper-Threading’ tech. Neither company would clarify on the details when prodded, and so that leaves the door open to further speculation on where and how Google’s reported new EPYC purchase order will be utilised.

The mention of Google’s alleged jump to the red team comes with a Lynx report on AMD’s competitive advantage. The market research also suspects TSMC’s increase in investment in 7nm – which the red team utilises for Zen 2’s CCDs – will benefit AMD in the long run.

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