AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs Intel Core i7-965

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X and Intel Core i7-965 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.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Intel Core i7-965

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

CPU is newer: launch date 11 year(s) 3 month(s) later
60 more cores, run more applications at once: 64 vs 4
120 more threads: 128 vs 8
Around 24% higher clock speed: 4.3 GHz vs 3.46 GHz
Around 40% higher maximum core temperature: 95 °C vs 67.9°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 7 nm vs 45 nm
16x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
32x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
32x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
21.3x more maximum memory size: 512 GB vs 24 GB
Around 74% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2572 vs 1475
23.5x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 80311 vs 3424
2.1x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1214 vs 578
10.4x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 23273 vs 2233

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	7 Feb 2020 vs November 2008
Number of cores	64 vs 4
Number of threads	128 vs 8
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz vs 3.46 GHz
Maximum core temperature	95 °C vs 67.9°C
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm vs 45 nm
L1 cache	4 MB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	32 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	256 MB vs 8192 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	512 GB vs 24 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2572 vs 1475
PassMark - CPU mark	80311 vs 3424
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1214 vs 578
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	23273 vs 2233

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-965

2.2x lower typical power consumption: 130 Watt vs 280 Watt

Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt vs 280 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-965

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2572

1475

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

80311

3424

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1214

578

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

23273

2233

Name	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Intel Core i7-965
PassMark - Single thread mark	2572	1475
PassMark - CPU mark	80311	3424
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1214	578
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	23273	2233
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	17897

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Intel Core i7-965
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen	Bloomfield
Launch date	7 Feb 2020	November 2008
Launch price (MSRP)	$3990	$1,509
OPN PIB	100-100000163WOF
OPN Tray	100-000000163
Place in performance rating	128	2117
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Price now		$139.99
Processor Number		i7-965
Series		Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status		Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)		12.32
Performance
Base frequency	2.9 GHz	3.20 GHz
L1 cache	4 MB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	32 MB	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	256 MB	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	95 °C	67.9°C
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz	3.46 GHz
Number of cores	64	4
Number of threads	128	8
Unlocked
64 bit support
Bus Speed		6.4 GT/s QPI
Die size		263 mm2
Number of QPI Links		1
Transistor count		731 million
VID voltage range		0.800V-1.375V
Memory
Max memory channels	8	3
Maximum memory size	512 GB	24 GB
Supported memory types	DDR4-3200	DDR3 800/1066
Maximum memory bandwidth		25.6 GB/s
Compatibility
Sockets supported	sTRX4	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	280 Watt	130 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration		1
Package Size		42.5mm x 45.0mm
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	4.0
Advanced Technologies
Fused Multiply-Add 3 (FMA3)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2)
Intel® AES New Instructions
The "Zen" Core Architecture
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)