AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs Intel Core i9-7980XE

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 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 3990X

Intel Core i9-7980XE

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 5 month(s) later
46 more cores, run more applications at once: 64 vs 18
92 more threads: 128 vs 36
Around 2% higher clock speed: 4.3 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Around 1% higher maximum core temperature: 95 °C vs 94°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 7 nm vs 14 nm
3.6x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 78% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
10.3x 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 5% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2572 vs 2459
2.7x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 80311 vs 29953
Around 3% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1214 vs 1177
Around 42% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 23273 vs 16370
Around 65% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 17897 vs 10876

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	7 Feb 2020 vs September 2017
Number of cores	64 vs 18
Number of threads	128 vs 36
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz vs 4.20 GHz
Maximum core temperature	95 °C vs 94°C
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm vs 14 nm
L1 cache	4 MB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	32 MB vs 1024 KB (per core)
L3 cache	256 MB vs 25344 KB (shared)
Maximum memory size	512 GB vs 128 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2572 vs 2459
PassMark - CPU mark	80311 vs 29953
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1214 vs 1177
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	23273 vs 16370
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	17897 vs 10876

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i9-7980XE

Around 70% lower typical power consumption: 165 Watt vs 280 Watt

Thermal Design Power (TDP)	165 Watt vs 280 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
CPU 2: Intel Core i9-7980XE

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2572

2459

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

80311

29953

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1214

1177

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

23273

16370

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

17897

10876

Name	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	Intel Core i9-7980XE
PassMark - Single thread mark	2572	2459
PassMark - CPU mark	80311	29953
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1214	1177
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	23273	16370
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	17897	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 3990X	Intel Core i9-7980XE
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen	Skylake
Launch date	7 Feb 2020	September 2017
Launch price (MSRP)	$3990	$1,999
OPN PIB	100-100000163WOF
OPN Tray	100-000000163
Place in performance rating	128	149
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	2.9 GHz	2.60 GHz
L1 cache	4 MB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	32 MB	1024 KB (per core)
L3 cache	256 MB	25344 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	7 nm	14 nm
Maximum core temperature	95 °C	94°C
Maximum frequency	4.3 GHz	4.20 GHz
Number of cores	64	18
Number of threads	128	36
Unlocked
64 bit support
Bus Speed		8 GT/s DMI3
Number of QPI Links		0
Memory
Max memory channels	8	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
PCI Express revision	4.0	3.0
Max number of PCIe lanes		44
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
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® 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)