AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X vs Intel Core i7-2600K

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X and Intel Core i7-2600K processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Security & Reliability. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, 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 3960X

Intel Core i7-2600K

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

CPU is newer: launch date 8 year(s) 10 month(s) later
20 more cores, run more applications at once: 24 vs 4
40 more threads: 48 vs 8
Around 18% higher clock speed: 4.5 GHz vs 3.80 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 7 nm vs 32 nm
6x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
12x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
16x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 54% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2683 vs 1742
10x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 54795 vs 5481
Around 56% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1267 vs 811
6.4x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 19997 vs 3117
7.6x better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 13972 vs 1845

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	25 Nov 2019 vs 3 January 2011
Number of cores	24 vs 4
Number of threads	48 vs 8
Maximum frequency	4.5 GHz vs 3.80 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm vs 32 nm
L1 cache	1.5 MB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	12 MB vs 1024 KB
L3 cache	128 MB vs 8192 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2683 vs 1742
PassMark - CPU mark	54795 vs 5481
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1267 vs 811
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	19997 vs 3117
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	13972 vs 1845

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-2600K

Around 7% higher maximum core temperature: 72.6°C vs 68 °C
2.9x lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 280 Watt

Maximum core temperature	72.6°C vs 68 °C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt vs 280 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-2600K

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2683

1742

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

54795

5481

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1267

811

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

19997

3117

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

13972

1845

Name	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Intel Core i7-2600K
PassMark - Single thread mark	2683	1742
PassMark - CPU mark	54795	5481
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1267	811
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	19997	3117
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	13972	1845
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		4.524
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		77.745
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.602
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		2.129
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		5.018

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X	Intel Core i7-2600K
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen 2	Sandy Bridge
Launch date	25 Nov 2019	3 January 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$1399	$317
Place in performance rating	283	2312
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Price now		$189.99
Processor Number		i7-2600K
Series		Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status		Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)		13.10
Performance
Base frequency	3.8 GHz	3.40 GHz
L1 cache	1.5 MB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	12 MB	1024 KB
L3 cache	128 MB	8192 KB
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	68 °C	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	4.5 GHz	3.80 GHz
Number of cores	24	4
Number of threads	48	8
Unlocked
64 bit support
Bus Speed		5 GT/s DMI
Die size		216 mm
Transistor count		995 Million
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	4	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	512 GB	21 GB/s
Supported memory types	DDR4-3200	DDR3 1066/1333
Maximum memory size		32 GB
Compatibility
Sockets supported	sTRX4	LGA1155
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	280 Watt	95 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Package Size		37.5mm x 37.5mm
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	64	16
PCI Express revision	4.0	2.0
Advanced Technologies
Fused Multiply-Add 3 (FMA3)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Graphics
Device ID		0x112
Graphics base frequency		850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency		1.35 GHz
Graphics max frequency		1.35 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics		Intel® HD Graphics 3000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported		2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)