Threadripper 9980X: King of CPUs?

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series, featuring the formidable 9980X and 9970X processors, has arrived, bringing with it the power of the Zen 5 architecture to the workstation arena. These CPUs firmly target creators, engineers, and other professionals whose workflows necessitate substantial processing capabilities.

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These processors aren’t for everyday use. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X and 9970X are engineered for handling intensive tasks such as managing extensive datasets, complex video editing, intricate 3D scenes, and running numerous virtual machines simultaneously.

While the allure of top-tier hardware is undeniable, for those primarily engaged in gaming rather than creative tasks, the AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D presents a more cost-effective option for achieving high frame rates. However, for users who genuinely require the power that Threadripper offers, the new series presents a compelling proposition.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X: A Deep Dive

The AMD Threadripper 9980X CPU, built upon AMD’s Zen 5 microarchitecture, boasts 64 cores and 128 threads within a 350W TDP. Forged using TSMC’s 4nm process, it operates at a base frequency of 3.2 GHz and can reach a maximum boost clock of 5.4 GHz. This range demonstrates the adaptability and available headroom for demanding workloads. A substantial 256 MB of L3 cache ensures efficient data delivery to all cores, mitigating bottlenecks in data-intensive applications.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X: Power in Moderation

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X, while less powerful than its counterpart, remains a formidable CPU. Featuring 32 cores and 64 threads, it shares the same Zen 5 architecture and utilizes the sTR5 socket, enabling compatibility with quad-channel DDR5-6400 memory and up to 92 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. It has a base clock of 3.4 GHz and can boost up to 5.3 GHz, with a 128 MB L3 cache.

Pricing and Target Audience

While the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X CPU has fewer cores and threads than the 9980X, it still delivers far more power than the average person needs in a basic PC. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is priced at $4,999, while the 9970X costs $2,499. Clearly, these CPUs are intended for professionals who require this level of performance.

Zen 5 Architecture: Enhancements and Improvements

This Threadripper series marks the debut of Zen 5, which brings several refinements over previous AMD designs. It incorporates advanced branch prediction, expanded instruction issue width, and larger buffers to keep all cores active, even under heavy workloads.

The improved instructions per clock (IPC) delivered by Zen 5 result in noticeable gains across creative, engineering, and scientific tasks. However, gaming performance, while adequate, does not represent a generational leap.

Memory and PCIe Connectivity: A Leap Forward

This Threadripper generation also introduces significant enhancements to memory architecture. Support for quad-channel DDR5-6400 memory unlocks bandwidth previously limited to server-class hardware, allowing for up to 2 TB of RAM. This is ideal for demanding projects.

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series delivers up to 80 lanes of PCIe 5.0, supporting nearly limitless expansion. Multi-GPU workstations, ultra-fast NVMe storage arrays, and a wide range of professional accelerator cards can all operate without compromise.

Benchmarking and Performance: Content Creation and Workstation Tasks

The primary focus of performance analysis lies in workstation benchmarks, given the Threadripper series’ intended use for high-end content creation, research, AI, and other demanding workloads. The core count and thread density of the 9980X and 9970X are particularly beneficial for workflows requiring extreme throughput, such as video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific simulation.

Benchmarks in software such as Blender, DaVinci Resolve, and Adobe Premiere Pro highlight the 9980X’s ability to sustain high output during extended workflows, surpassing typical consumer CPUs.

In Blender’s Cycles rendering engine, the chip achieves render times that rival or exceed older server-class CPUs. Video professionals also report gains in encoding and effects processing, reducing project cycle times.

Real-World Applications: 3D Art, VFX, Science, and Engineering

3D artists and VFX studios experience scene exports that complete in a fraction of the time, allowing creators to focus on refining details. In virtual production and visualization, the ability to run simulations, asset baking, and post-processing in parallel empowers teams to push their creative limits.

For scientific and engineering professionals, the Threadripper platform is optimized for their needs. Computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, and massive parallel simulations all perform well across the chip’s threads, delivering results in less time. The balance of core availability and memory bandwidth allows large datasets to be processed quickly, even with multiple tools running.

Gaming Performance: A Secondary Consideration

While the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X and 9970X deliver ample power for modern games, maintaining fluid gameplay in AAA titles and esports releases, gaming performance is weaker than expected. The Threadripper CPUs lag behind top-end gaming CPUs in some scenarios.

Many popular games favor per-core clock speed or are optimized for fewer threads, resulting in performance that, while adequate, does not set new records. The complexity of the multi-chiplet layout can lead to minor frame pacing inconsistencies. Still, the Threadripper’s stability remains unwavering, and the system responds instantaneously in multitasking scenarios.

General Productivity: Overkill for Basic Tasks

For general productivity, web browsing, and office work, both the 9980X and 9970X feel effortlessly capable thanks to their abundant resources, though much of their potential goes unused. Software launches and file transfers are fast, but the real benefits show up in heavy multitasking scenarios, such as running virtual machines or exporting large video projects. These CPUs are not recommended for general use.

Thermal Performance and Overclocking

Daily use poses little concern for thermals due to the robust cooling requirements built into the platform. The cooling system ran quietly and stably during standard workloads, and showed its full power during resource-heavy sessions.

These chips support overclocking, giving users the option to push performance further for demanding workloads.

Final Verdict: A Powerful Platform for Professionals

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper Series remains one of the most powerful CPUs available, excluding server-grade processors. It delivers top-tier performance across a wide range of applications and is built for users who demand the most from their PC. Whether modeling for 3D printing, rendering a video project, or processing large-scale data workflows, both the Threadripper 9980X and 9970X outperform other consumer desktop processors.

For creative professionals with demanding workloads and a budget to match, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X and 9970X deliver outstanding performance. Threadripper was never designed as a consumer-grade CPU, it’s built to deliver performance for those who need it. AMD’s latest Threadripper chips reaffirm the line’s place at the top of the desktop market, offering power, stability, and future-ready features for professional users.