IBM Power 11 CPU
Every IBM Power 11 CPU feature code in one table: cores, clock speed, eSCM or DCM packaging, CPW, and the IBM i software tier each processor lands in.
The Power 11 CPU is not one part number. Across the seven current models IBM ships twenty-one distinct processor feature codes, in two different physical packages, spanning 2.4 GHz to 4.4 GHz and 4 cores to 256 cores. Which one you order decides three things at once: how much work the machine does, which IBM i software tier you are billed at, and how much headroom you have before the next upgrade. This page puts every published Power 11 processor option in one table so you can see all three at the same time.
Power 11 is an evolutionary release. IBM kept the Power 10 core design and took its gains from clock speed, core count, DDR5 DDIMM memory, and on-chip AI acceleration instead of a ground-up redesign. That is why a Power 10 workload profile still predicts Power 11 behavior well, and why the feature code you pick matters more than the generation name.
Every Power 11 CPU feature code, by model
Power 11 processor feature codes, cores, clock speed and packaging
| Model | Feature code | Cores | Clock (GHz) | Module | CPW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1112 (9242-21B / 21T) | EJMT | 4 | 3.6 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 117,300 |
| S1112 (9242-21B / 21T) | EJSV | 10 | 3.05 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 116,500 |
| S1122 (9824-22A) | ERGR | 4 or 8 | 3.6 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 118,200 / 236,400 |
| S1122 (9824-22A) | ERGQ | 10 or 20 | 3.05 ... 4.0 | eSCM | 124,500 / 123,400 |
| S1122 (9824-22A) | EBG8 | 16 or 32 | 3.0 ... 4.2 | DCM | 124,500 / 123,800 |
| S1122 (9824-22A) | EBG9 | 24 or 48 | 2.65 ... 4.15 | DCM | 124,500 / 123,800 |
| S1122 (9824-22A) | EBGA | 30 or 60 | 2.4 ... 3.95 | DCM | 124,500 / 117,100 |
| S1124 (9824-42A) | EP3X | 16 or 32 | 3.4 ... 4.2 | DCM | 433,000 / 823,000 |
| S1124 (9824-42A) | EP3H | 24 or 48 | 3.05 ... 4.15 | DCM | 649,800 / 1,118,500 |
| S1124 (9824-42A) | EP3Y | 30 or 60 | 2.8 ... 3.95 | DCM | 812,250 / 1,345,900 |
| L1122 (9856-22H) | ERGF | 16 or 32 | 3.0 ... 4.2 | DCM | 236,400 (16-core) |
| L1122 (9856-22H) | ERGG | 24 or 48 | 2.65 ... 4.15 | DCM | Not published per feature |
| L1122 (9856-22H) | ERGH | 30 or 60 | 2.4 ... 3.95 | DCM | 990,400 system total |
| L1124 (9856-42H) | EP4C | 16 or 32 | 3.4 ... 4.2 | DCM | 433,000 / 823,000 |
| L1124 (9856-42H) | EP4B | 24 or 48 | 3.05 ... 4.15 | DCM | 1,118,500 (48-core) |
| L1124 (9856-42H) | EP4J | 30 or 60 | 2.8 ... 3.95 | DCM | 1,345,900 (60-core) |
| E1150 (9043-MRU) | EPEX | 16 per socket, to 64 | 3.5 ... 4.2 | DCM | AIX and Linux only |
| E1150 (9043-MRU) | EPEY | 24 per socket, to 96 | 3.3 ... 4.2 | DCM | AIX and Linux only |
| E1150 (9043-MRU) | EPEZ | 30 per socket, to 120 | 3.0 ... 4.1 | DCM | AIX and Linux only |
| E1180 (9080-HEU) | EDQ0 | 40 to 80 | 3.9 ... 4.2 | DCM | 1,049,100 / 2,098,300 |
| E1180 (9080-HEU) | EDQ9 | 48 to 96 | 3.9 ... 4.4 | DCM | 1,290,000 / 2,580,100 |
| E1180 (9080-HEU) | EDQD | 64 to 256 | 3.8 ... 4.3 | DCM | 1,572,800 / 3,145,600 |
Core counts shown as a range reflect single-socket and multi-socket builds of the same feature code. CPW figures pair with those builds in the same order. E1150 does not support IBM i, so it carries rPerf ratings rather than CPW.
eSCM or DCM: the packaging decision comes before the core count
eSCM ... one chip per module
The entry single-chip module covers 4 to 20 cores and runs 3.05 GHz to 4.0 GHz. It appears only on the S1112 (EJMT, EJSV) and the S1122 (ERGR, ERGQ). At the low end of the range it posts better CPW per core than the smallest DCM feature on the same model, which makes it the right choice when your core count genuinely stays small and per-core throughput is what you are buying.
DCM ... two chips per module
The dual-chip module covers 16 to 60 cores per module, and far more on E1150 and E1180 multi-node builds. It spans 2.4 GHz to 4.4 GHz and is the only option on S1124, L1122, L1124, E1150 and E1180. Note the trade: the highest-core DCM features run the lowest clocks, so a 60-core EBGA at 2.4 GHz base is a throughput machine, not a single-thread machine.
The same core count can carry a different feature code on a different model, with a different clock and a different CPW. EP3X and EP4C are both 16 or 32 cores at 3.4 to 4.2 GHz, but one is the S1124 part and the other is the L1124 part. Always quote the feature code together with the machine type.
Your CPU choice sets the IBM i software tier, and the tier sets the bill
This is the part that catches buyers. On Power 11 the processor feature does not just change hardware cost. It moves the machine between IBM i software tiers, and the tier is what the operating system, the licensed program products, and most third-party IBM i software are priced against. Two builds of the same model can sit in different tiers purely because of which CPU went in the socket.
IBM i software tier by model and processor feature
| Model | Processor feature | IBM i software tier |
|---|---|---|
| S1112 | EJMT (4-core) | P05 |
| S1112 | EJSV (10-core) | P10 |
| S1122 | All features | P10 |
| S1124 | EP3X | P20 |
| S1124 | EP3H, EP3Y | P30 |
| L1122 | All features | P10, Linux-first positioning |
| L1124 | All features | Linux-first; IBM i and AIX capped at 25 percent of activated cores |
| E1150 | All features | Not applicable ... AIX and Linux only |
The S1124 case is the clearest example: staying on EP3X keeps the machine at P20, while stepping up to EP3H or EP3Y for more cores also steps the whole system into P30 pricing. Model the software cost for both before you settle the configuration.
Work the tier question through the Power 11 pricing page before you finalize a processor feature, and check the full configuration ceilings on the Power 11 specs page. Each model's directory entry carries the complete per-feature CPW and rPerf table: all Power 11 models.
How to check which CPU is in a Power 11 you already have
From IBM i
Run WRKHDWRSC *PRC to list processor resources, and DSPSYSVAL QPRCFEAT to return the processor feature code directly. QPRCFEAT is the fastest single answer and is what you should quote to a vendor.
From AIX or VIOS
Run lsconf or prtconf for the processor type, implementation and clock speed, and lparstat -i for the entitled and online capacity actually assigned to the partition.
From the HMC
Open the managed system properties and read the processor tab. This is the only view that shows total installed cores against activated cores, which is the number that matters for both capacity and licensing.
From the order record
The feature code on the original configuration or MES record is definitive. If the machine has been through a capacity upgrade on demand activation, the installed part and the activated core count will not match, so check both.
Installed cores and activated cores are different numbers on Power 11. A machine can ship with a 60-core EBGA module and run with 30 cores activated. Capacity planning uses activated cores; upgrade planning uses installed cores; software licensing usually follows activated cores. Confirm which one a quote is referring to.
Comparing against what you run today
If you are sizing a Power 11 processor against an existing machine rather than from scratch, the generational comparison does more work than the raw specification: see Power 10 vs Power 11 for the direct comparison and the IBM i Power 11 migration guide for what changes around the processor. When you are ready to price a specific feature code, the Power 11 quote checklist lists what a vendor needs from you to quote it accurately.