AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X vs Intel Core i9-7980XE

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X 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, 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 3970X

Intel Core i9-7980XE

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 2 month(s) later
14 more cores, run more applications at once: 32 vs 18
28 more threads: 64 vs 36
Around 7% higher clock speed: 4.5 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 7 nm vs 14 nm
Around 78% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
5.2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
4x more maximum memory size: 512 GB vs 128 GB
Around 8% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2665 vs 2465
2.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 63140 vs 30070
Around 7% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1264 vs 1177
Around 37% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 22457 vs 16370
Around 53% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 16672 vs 10876

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	25 Nov 2019 vs September 2017
Number of cores	32 vs 18
Number of threads	64 vs 36
Maximum frequency	4.5 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm vs 14 nm
L1 cache	2 MB vs 64 KB (per core)
L3 cache	128 MB vs 25344 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	512 GB vs 128 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2665 vs 2465
PassMark - CPU mark	63140 vs 30070
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1264 vs 1177
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	22457 vs 16370
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	16672 vs 10876

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i9-7980XE

Around 38% higher maximum core temperature: 94°C vs 68 °C
Around 13% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 70% lower typical power consumption: 165 Watt vs 280 Watt

Maximum core temperature	94°C vs 68 °C
L2 cache	1024 KB (per core) vs 16 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	165 Watt vs 280 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X
CPU 2: Intel Core i9-7980XE

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2665

2465

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

63140

30070

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1264

1177

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

22457

16370

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

16672

10876

Name	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X	Intel Core i9-7980XE
PassMark - Single thread mark	2665	2465
PassMark - CPU mark	63140	30070
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1264	1177
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	22457	16370
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	16672	10876
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 3970X	Intel Core i9-7980XE
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen 2	Skylake
Launch date	25 Nov 2019	September 2017
Launch price (MSRP)	$1999	$1,999
Place in performance rating	194	177
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Price now		$2,005.50
Processor Number		i9-7980XE
Series		Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Status		Launched
Value for money (0-100)		4.08
Performance
Base frequency	3.7 GHz	2.60 GHz
L1 cache	2 MB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	16 MB	1024 KB (per core)
L3 cache	128 MB	25344 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	68 °C	94°C
Maximum frequency	4.5 GHz	4.20 GHz
Number of cores	32	18
Number of threads	64	36
Unlocked
64 bit support
Bus Speed		8 GT/s DMI3
Number of QPI Links		0
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	4	4
Maximum memory size	512 GB	128 GB
Supported memory types	DDR4-3200	DDR4-2666
Compatibility
Sockets supported	sTRX4	FCLGA2066
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	280 Watt	165 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Thermal Solution		PCG 2017X
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	64	44
PCI Express revision	4.0	3.0
Scalability		1S Only
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
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX2, Intel® AVX-512
Intel 64
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)