IBM Power 9 CPU
What the POWER9 processor actually is, which CPU options each Power 9 model shipped with, how core count drives the IBM i software tier, and how to read the processor out of a machine you already own.
Almost every Power 9 question eventually becomes a CPU question. How many cores are activated, what they clock at, and which software tier that lands you in decides your capacity, your IBM i licensing bill, and whether an upgrade is worth doing at all. This page covers the POWER9 processor itself, the CPU options each model shipped with, and how to read the processor out of a machine that is already running.
POWER9 is the generation where IBM moved the platform onto PCIe Gen4 and rebuilt the memory and accelerator interfaces around it. For IBM i and AIX buyers the practical consequence was not the instruction set. It was that a Power 9 box could feed NVMe and modern adapters properly, which is why so many Power 9 machines are still in production years after the S914 and S922 stopped being sold.
Power 9 CPU options by model
POWER9 processor options, cores and clock speeds by model
| Model | Sockets | Cores per socket | Typical clock range (GHz) | System maximum cores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S914 (9009-41A / 41G) | 1 | 4, 6 or 8 | 2.3 ... 4.0 | 8 |
| S922 (9009-22A / 22G) | 1 or 2 | 4, 8 or 10 | 2.8 ... 3.9 | 20 |
| S924 (9009-42A / 42G) | 1 or 2 | 8, 10, 11 or 12 | 3.4 ... 4.0 | 24 |
| L922 (9008-22L) | 1 or 2 | Linux-focused POWER9 options | 2.8 ... 3.9 | Configuration dependent |
| H922 (9223-22H) / H922S (9223-22S) | 1 or 2 | SAP HANA-optimized options | 2.8 ... 3.9 | Configuration dependent |
| H924 (9223-42H) / H924S (9223-42S) | 1 or 2 | SAP HANA-optimized options | 3.4 ... 4.0 | Configuration dependent |
| E950 (9040-MR9) | 2 to 4 | 8, 10, 11 or 12 | 3.15 ... 3.8 | 48 |
| E980 (9080-M9S) | 4 per node, to 4 nodes | 8, 10, 11 or 12 | 3.55 ... 4.0 | 192 |
Clock speed and core count move in opposite directions on POWER9, as they do on every Power generation: the 8-core S924 feature is the fastest per core, the 12-core feature does the most total work. Exact rated frequency is set by the specific processor feature code on your machine, so confirm it against the feature code rather than the model name before you size or quote anything.
The A-generation and G-generation machine types matter here. A 9009-41A and a 9009-41G are both an S914, but the G-generation refresh carries the stronger NVMe and PCIe Gen4 design and a different service position. IBM lists 31 January 2026 as the transition to end of support services for the A-generation 9009-41A, 9009-22A and 9009-42A. Check the full dates on the end of support page before you plan around a processor upgrade.
Core count sets the IBM i software tier
This is where the CPU decision stops being a hardware decision. On Power 9 the processor configuration places the machine in an IBM i software tier, and that tier prices the operating system, the licensed program products, and most third-party IBM i software. Adding cores to solve a capacity problem can move the whole system into a more expensive tier, and that recurring cost usually outweighs the one-time hardware difference.
IBM i software tier by Power 9 model
| Model | IBM i software tier |
|---|---|
| S914 (9009-41A / 41G) | P05 or P10 |
| S922 (9009-22A) | P10 |
| S922 (9009-22G) | P05 or P10 |
| S924 (9009-42A / 42G) | P20 |
| E980 (9080-M9S) | Enterprise tier where IBM i is supported |
| L922 (9008-22L) | Linux-focused, IBM i not the target workload |
The S922 case is the one to watch. The G-generation machine can sit at P05 with a small processor feature where the A-generation sits at P10, which changes the software bill for an otherwise similar-looking box.
Model the tier consequence before you settle the processor feature: the Power 9 pricing page covers what actually drives cost on this generation, and the Power 9 specs page carries the full configuration ceilings around the CPU.
How to read the CPU out of a Power 9 you already run
From IBM i
DSPSYSVAL QPRCFEAT returns the processor feature code directly. WRKHDWRSC *PRC lists the processor resources the partition can see. QPRCFEAT is the single value worth writing down, because it is what a sourcing vendor or IBM will ask for.
From AIX, Linux or VIOS
lsconf and prtconf report the processor type, implementation and clock speed. lparstat -i shows entitled and online capacity for the partition, which is often smaller than what is physically installed.
From the HMC
Managed system properties, processor tab. This is the only view that separates installed cores from activated cores, and on Power 9 those numbers frequently differ because of capacity upgrade on demand activations.
From the label and the serial
The machine type and model on the front bezel gives you the family, but not the processor feature. For a machine you are buying used, insist on the feature code and the activated core count in writing, not just the model name.
Installed cores and activated cores are not the same number on Power 9. Capacity upgrade on demand means a machine can hold a 12-core module with only 8 cores activated. Capacity planning uses activated cores, software licensing usually follows activated cores, and resale value follows both plus what can still be activated. Confirm all three before agreeing a price.
Where the Power 9 CPU sits against what came next
If you are weighing a processor upgrade inside the Power 9 family against a generational move, the comparison is rarely close on raw throughput. Power 10 and Power 11 both deliver far more work per core and per socket, and Power 11 pairs that with DDR5 memory and on-chip AI acceleration. What keeps a Power 9 in service is usually support entitlement, software tier cost, and the disruption of moving, not processor performance.
Work the comparison through the pages that already carry the numbers: Power 9 vs Power 10, Power 9 vs Power 11, and Power 9 to Power 11 migration. If the answer is to keep the machine, new, used and refurbished Power 9 covers where processor features and activations come from on the secondary market, and the end of support dates set the deadline you are planning against.