IBM Power 11 CPU
The processor feature code is the real unit of a Power 11 purchase. Every published option, what each one benchmarks at, and how the choice moves the IBM i software tier.
You do not buy a Power 11. You buy a processor feature code, and everything else follows from it: the core count, the clock, the CPW, the rPerf, the software tier, and the maximum size of any single partition you can build. Two S1124 machines sitting in the same rack can differ by a full software tier because of which module went in the socket, and that difference recurs on every license renewal for the life of the system.
This page lists every published Power 11 processor option with its benchmark figures, so the feature code decision can be made against numbers rather than model names.
Power 11 processor packaging
The entry single-chip module appears only on the S1112 and S1122. Everything above that is dual-chip. The trade is consistent across the whole line: the highest-core features run the lowest base clocks, so a 60-core module is a consolidation machine and a 4-core module is a response-time machine.
Scale-out processor features: S1112, S1122, S1124
| Model | Feature | Cores | Clock (GHz) | Module | CPW | IBM i tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1112 | EJMT | 4 | 3.6 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 117,300 | P05 |
| S1112 | EJSV | 10 | 3.05 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 116,500 | P10 |
| S1122 | ERGR | 4 or 8 | 3.6 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 118,200 / 236,400 | P10 |
| S1122 | ERGQ | 10 or 20 | 3.05 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 124,500 / 123,400 | P10 |
| S1122 | EBG8 | 16 or 32 | 3.0 ... 4.2 | DCM | 124,500 / 123,800 | P10 |
| S1122 | EBG9 | 24 or 48 | 2.65 ... 4.15 | DCM | 124,500 / 123,800 | P10 |
| S1122 | EBGA | 30 or 60 | 2.4 ... 3.95 | DCM | 124,500 / 117,100 | P10 |
| S1124 | EP3X | 16 or 32 | 3.4 ... 4.2 | DCM | 433,000 / 823,000 | P20 |
| S1124 | EP3H | 24 or 48 | 3.05 ... 4.15 | DCM | 649,800 / 1,118,500 | P30 |
| S1124 | EP3Y | 30 or 60 | 2.8 ... 3.95 | DCM | 812,250 / 1,345,900 | P30 |
Where two core counts share a feature code, they are the single-socket and dual-socket builds of the same module, and the CPW figures pair with them in that order.
The S1124 is the clearest tier trap in the family. EP3X keeps the machine at P20. Stepping up to EP3H or EP3Y for more cores also steps the entire system into P30, and that applies to IBM i, the licensed program products, and most third-party IBM i software for as long as you own the box. Price both before you settle the configuration.
Linux-focused processor features: L1122, L1124
| Model | Feature | Cores | Clock (GHz) | Positioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1122 | ERGF | 16 or 32 | 3.0 ... 4.2 | P10 tier, Linux-first |
| L1122 | ERGG | 24 or 48 | 2.65 ... 4.15 | P10 tier, Linux-first |
| L1122 | ERGH | 30 or 60 | 2.4 ... 3.95 | P10 tier, Linux-first |
| L1124 | EP4C | 16 or 32 | 3.4 ... 4.2 | IBM i and AIX capped at 25% of activated cores |
| L1124 | EP4B | 24 or 48 | 3.05 ... 4.15 | IBM i and AIX capped at 25% of activated cores |
| L1124 | EP4J | 30 or 60 | 2.8 ... 3.95 | IBM i and AIX capped at 25% of activated cores |
The L-series carries the same silicon at the same core counts as its S-series sibling. What differs is the licensing posture, not the processor. If IBM i is more than a quarter of the workload, the L1124 is the wrong machine no matter how attractive the hardware price looks.
Enterprise processor features: E1150, E1180
| Model | Feature | Cores | Clock (GHz) | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| E1150 | EPEX | 16 per socket, to 64 | 3.5 ... 4.2 | rPerf 2,285 at 64 cores |
| E1150 | EPEY | 24 per socket, to 96 | 3.3 ... 4.2 | rPerf 3,698 at 96 cores |
| E1150 | EPEZ | 30 per socket, to 120 | 3.0 ... 4.1 | rPerf 4,571 at 120 cores |
| E1180 | EDQ0 | 40 to 80 | 3.9 ... 4.2 | CPW 1,049,100 / 2,098,300 |
| E1180 | EDQ9 | 48 to 96 | 3.9 ... 4.4 | CPW 1,290,000 / 2,580,100 |
| E1180 | EDQD | 64 to 256 | 3.8 ... 4.3 | CPW 1,572,800 / 3,145,600 |
The E1150 does not support IBM i at all, which is why it carries rPerf rather than CPW. It is an AIX and Linux machine. The E1180 is the only Power 11 system that reaches 256 cores, across a four-node sixteen-socket build, and the EDQ9 feature carries the highest clock in the entire Power 11 line at 4.4 GHz.
Reading the benchmark numbers correctly
CPW and rPerf answer different questions and are not interchangeable. CPW measures commercial transaction throughput and is the figure that reads across IBM i generations. rPerf measures relative AIX performance and is published at each SMT level, which is why the same processor shows four different rPerf figures.
The SMT spread is the part buyers skip. On the S1112 EJSV feature, single-thread rPerf is 95.4 and SMT8 rPerf is 298.7. That is roughly a three-fold difference from the same silicon depending on how the workload threads. A batch job that cannot parallelize sees the first number, not the last one.
Full CPW and rPerf explanation
How to confirm the CPU in a system you already run
| Where | What to run | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| IBM i | DSPSYSVAL QPRCFEAT | The processor feature code directly ... the one value worth writing down |
| IBM i | WRKHDWRSC *PRC | Processor resources visible to the partition |
| AIX, Linux, VIOS | lsconf, prtconf | Processor type, implementation and clock speed |
| AIX, Linux, VIOS | lparstat -i | Entitled and online capacity for this partition |
| HMC | Managed system properties, processor tab | Installed cores against activated cores ... the only view that separates them |
Installed cores, activated cores and licensed cores are three different numbers, and quotes are inconsistent about which one they mean. Capacity planning uses activated cores. Software licensing usually follows activated cores. Upgrade headroom follows installed cores. Get all three in writing before you sign anything.
Next steps
Per-model detail, including the full per-feature CPW and rPerf tables, is on each system's directory entry: S1112, S1122, S1124, L1122, L1124, E1150 and E1180.
For the licensing consequence of a feature code, see IBM i licensing and OS compatibility on Power 11. For the wider configuration around the processor, see the Power 11 specs page, and for what it costs, Power 11 pricing. If you are replacing an entry-tier machine, the S1112 against every prior P05 system is the comparison that matters.