AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X vs Intel Core i9-7960X

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X and Intel Core i9-7960X processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization, Security & Reliability. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

Intel Core i9-7960X

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 0 month(s) later
Around 2% higher clock speed: 4.3 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 12 nm vs 14 nm
Around 13% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 45% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later

Launch date	October 2018 vs September 2017
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	12 nm vs 14 nm
L1 cache	1152 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L3 cache	32 MB vs 22528 KB (shared)

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i9-7960X

4 more cores, run more applications at once: 16 vs 12
8 more threads: 32 vs 24
Around 44% higher maximum core temperature: 98°C vs 68°C
2.7x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 9% lower typical power consumption: 165 Watt vs 180 Watt
Around 1% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2504 vs 2489
Around 13% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 28754 vs 25557
Around 23% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 11415 vs 9262
Around 4% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1111 vs 1068
Around 36% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 13236 vs 9726

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	16 vs 12
Number of threads	32 vs 24
Maximum core temperature	98°C vs 68°C
L2 cache	1024 KB (per core) vs 6 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	165 Watt vs 180 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2504 vs 2489
PassMark - CPU mark	28754 vs 25557
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	11415 vs 9262
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1111 vs 1068
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	13236 vs 9726

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
CPU 2: Intel Core i9-7960X

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2489

2504

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

25557

28754

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

9262

11415

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1068

1111

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

9726

13236

Name	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X	Intel Core i9-7960X
PassMark - Single thread mark	2489	2504
PassMark - CPU mark	25557	28754
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	9262	11415
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1068	1111
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	9726	13236
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		21.307
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		175.691
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		1.437
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		12.347
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		31.909

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X	Intel Core i9-7960X
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen	Skylake
Family	AMD Ryzen Processors
Launch date	October 2018	September 2017
OPN PIB	YD292XA8AFWOF
OPN Tray	YD292XA8UC9AF
OS Support	Windows 10 - 64-Bit Edition, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
Place in performance rating	896	919
Series	AMD Ryzen Threadripper Processors	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Launch price (MSRP)		$1,810
Price now		$1,899
Processor Number		i9-7960X
Status		Launched
Value for money (0-100)		3.99
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.5 GHz	2.80 GHz
Die size	213 mm
L1 cache	1152 KB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	6 MB	1024 KB (per core)
L3 cache	32 MB	22528 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	12 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	68°C	98°C
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz	4.20 GHz
Number of cores	12	16
Number of threads	24	32
Transistor count	9600 million
Unlocked
Bus Speed		8 GT/s DMI3
Number of QPI Links		0
Memory
Max memory channels	4	4
Supported memory frequency	2933 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4	DDR4-2666
Maximum memory size		128 GB
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Sockets supported	sTR4	FCLGA2066
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	180 Watt	165 Watt
Thermal Solution	Not included	PCG 2017X
Low Halogen Options Available
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	3.0	3.0
Max number of PCIe lanes		44
Scalability		1S Only
Advanced Technologies
AMD SenseMI
The "Zen" Core Architecture
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2, Intel® AVX-512
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Number of AVX-512 FMA Units		2
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)