AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X vs Intel Core i9-7980XE

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X and Intel Core i9-7980XE 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 i9-7980XE

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 29% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	October 2018 vs September 2017
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	12 nm vs 14 nm
L3 cache	32 MB vs 25344 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2489 vs 2481

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i9-7980XE

6 more cores, run more applications at once: 18 vs 12
12 more threads: 36 vs 24
Around 38% higher maximum core temperature: 94°C vs 68°C
3x 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 18% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 30186 vs 25557
Around 17% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 10876 vs 9262
Around 10% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1177 vs 1068
Around 68% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 16370 vs 9726

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	18 vs 12
Number of threads	36 vs 24
Maximum core temperature	94°C vs 68°C
L2 cache	1024 KB (per core) vs 6 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	165 Watt vs 180 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	30186 vs 25557
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	10876 vs 9262
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1177 vs 1068
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	16370 vs 9726

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X
CPU 2: Intel Core i9-7980XE

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2489

2481

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

25557

30186

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

9262

10876

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1068

1177

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

9726

16370

Name	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X	Intel Core i9-7980XE
PassMark - Single thread mark	2489	2481
PassMark - CPU mark	25557	30186
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	9262	10876
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1068	1177
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	9726	16370
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		40.947
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		484.771
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		3.237
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		21.073
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		218.231

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2920X	Intel Core i9-7980XE
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	176
Series	AMD Ryzen Threadripper Processors	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Launch price (MSRP)		$1,999
Price now		$2,005.50
Processor Number		i9-7980XE
Status		Launched
Value for money (0-100)		4.08
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.5 GHz	2.60 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	25344 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	12 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	68°C	94°C
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz	4.20 GHz
Number of cores	12	18
Number of threads	24	36
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)