AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X vs Intel Core i9-9980XE

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X or AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X features 24 processor cores and has the capability to manage 48 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2019 and belongs to the 3 generation of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper series.
To use the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X, you'll need a motherboard with a TRX4 (sTRX4) socket.
The Intel Core i9-9980XE features 18 processor cores and has the capability to manage 36 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2018 and belongs to the 9 generation of the Intel Core i9 series.
To use the Intel Core i9-9980XE, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2066 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X Name Intel Core i9-9980XE
AMD Ryzen Threadripper Family Intel Core i9
3 Generation 9
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 Group Intel Core i 9000X
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has 24 CPU cores and can calculate 48 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is 3.8 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.5 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i9-9980XE has 18 CPU cores and can calculate 36 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i9-9980XE is 3.0 GHz
4.5 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 4.5 GHz
Yes Overclocking Yes
normal Core architecture normal
3.8 GHz Frequency 3.0 GHz
48 Threads 36
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
24 CPU Cores 18
24x Cores 18x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i9-9980XE does not have integrated graphics.
-- GPU frequency --
-- Release date --
-- Direct X --
GPU name
-- Technology --
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Execution units --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- AVC --
-- VC-1 --
-- VP9 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h264 --
-- VP8 --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- JPEG --
-- AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 2.0 TB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
4 Memory channels 4
2.0 TB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
Yes ECC No
102.4 GB/s Bandwidth 42.7 GB/s
DDR4-3200 Memory type DDR4-2666
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 280 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 165 W watts.
95 °C Tjunction max 84 °C
280 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 165 W
 
 

Technical details

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is manufactured using a 7 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 128.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i9-9980XE is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 25.0 MB cache.
Q4/2019 Release date Q4/2018
-- Part Number --
12.0 MB L2-Cache 0 bytes
AMD-V, SVM Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, FMA3, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX-512
Chiplet Chip design Monolithic
Castle Peak (Zen 2) Architecture Skylake X Refresh
7 nm Technology 14 nm
TRX4 (sTRX4) Socket LGA 2066
Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11 Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
1435 $ Release price 1979 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
128.0 MB L3-Cache 25.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
24C 48T @ 3.8 GHz
21436
21436
Intel Core i9-9980XE
18C 36T @ 3.0 GHz
15725
15725

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
24C 48T @ 3.8 GHz
16082
16082
Intel Core i9-9980XE
18C 36T @ 3.0 GHz
9092
9092

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
24C 48T @ 3.8 GHz
13875
13875
Intel Core i9-9980XE
18C 36T @ 3.0 GHz
12177
12177

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
24C 48T @ 3.8 GHz
13552
13552
Intel Core i9-9980XE
18C 36T @ 3.0 GHz
7516
7516

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
24C 48T @ 3.8 GHz
5933
5933
Intel Core i9-9980XE
18C 36T @ 3.0 GHz
3240
3240

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
24C 48T @ 3.8 GHz
1684
1684
Intel Core i9-9980XE
18C 36T @ 3.0 GHz
1459
1459