AMD Propels Exascale Computing with El Capitan, the Fastest Supercomputer Ever

AMD redefines high-performance computing (HPC), powering the world’s fastest supercomputer for the sixth consecutive Top500 list. The El Capitan supercomputer, located at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and powered by AMD Instinct™ MI300A APUs, has claimed the top spot with a groundbreaking High-Performance Linpack (HPL) score of 1.742 exaflops.

Built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), El Capitan joins Frontier—another AMD-powered system—in showcasing AMD’s dominance in HPC. Both El Capitan and Frontier have also secured notable positions on the Green500 list, ranking #18 and #22, respectively, for energy efficiency.

Driving Innovation in HPC and AI

“We are thrilled to see El Capitan become the second AMD-powered supercomputer to break the exaflop barrier and secure its position as the fastest supercomputer in the world,” said Forrest Norrod, executive vice president and general manager at AMD. “Showcasing the unparalleled performance and efficiency of the AMD Instinct MI300 APUs, El Capitan represents a groundbreaking achievement made possible through collaboration between AMD, LLNL, and HPE. At AMD, we are shaping the future of computing by converging HPC and AI for unprecedented innovation.”

Accelerating National Security and Scientific Discovery

Rob Neely, director of LLNL’s Advanced Simulation and Computing program, emphasized the significance of El Capitan in supporting the National Nuclear Security Administration’s mission. “El Capitan significantly enhances our ability to conduct large-scale, high-fidelity 3D simulations to address complex scientific challenges critical to national security,” Neely stated.

Bronis R. de Supinski, LLNL’s chief technology officer for Livermore Computing, added, “Leveraging AMD Instinct MI300A APUs, El Capitan pushes the boundaries of computational performance while maintaining remarkable energy efficiency. This system integrates AI with traditional simulation workloads, unlocking new avenues for scientific discovery across disciplines.”

AMD’s Commitment to HPC Excellence

AMD continues to lead the HPC and AI landscape with cutting-edge technologies that power the world’s most important supercomputers. The latest AMD EPYC™ 9005 Series processors provide unmatched performance for enterprise, AI, and cloud applications, delivering up to 37% better generational IPC performance for HPC and AI workloads.

With the deployment of AMD Instinct MI300X accelerators as a service on IBM Cloud, AMD is expanding its impact on the global HPC ecosystem, enabling organizations to harness the power of exascale computing and accelerate breakthroughs in scientific research and innovation.