AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X Review

ByRamsha Mehmood

The AMD Threadripper 3970X is one of three elite CPUs in AMD’s mega-CPU line’s third iteration. For high-end desktop users, the chip has 32 cores and 64 threads. For multimedia creators, multitaskers, and circumstances that necessitate a lot of device speed and storage.

Specs and use Cases:

Based on the Zen 2 architecture, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X offers 32 cores and 64 threads. The CPU features 144MB of total cache (3MB L1, 16MB L2, and 128MB L3) and is brought together in the new TRX40 platform, which supports PCI Gen 4.0 with Quad-Channel DDR4 memory support at a TDP of 280W. These parts, like the previous two generations, are aimed toward creators and should perform well in multi-tasking and creative applications. This chip was used to produce the trailer for the new major motion picture Terminator: Dark Fate.

Same Number of Cylinders, Whole New Engine:

AMD appears to be aiming for the “highest-end desktop market” with the Threadripper 3970X. It is technically a HEDT chip because it has 32 cores and 64 threads. However, it outperforms the nearest competitor by such a large margin that putting them in the same category appears unfair. The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X is a processor that runs on AMD’s ostensibly mainstream AM4 architecture. The new architecture allows for more power in a smaller space while also reducing heat output and lowering TDP.

It also introduces PCI Express 4.0, just as the X570 chipset did with the standard Ryzens this summer. PCI Express lane numbers are outpacing even the wealthiest professionals’ ability to max them out, or at least their wallets’ ability to max them out. Third-generation AMD Threadripper CPUs can accommodate up to 56 direct PCI Express 4.0 lanes for devices connected via USB or SATA, allowing for a total bandwidth of up to 133GBps. In comparison, the top Intel Core X-Series processors can only support up to 48 PCI Express lanes directly. These upper limitations may be important if you’re using numerous video cards and PCI Express storage that’s been maxed out. However, they’re typically reserved for extreme PC builds and edge cases.

Key Features:

A new TRX40 Motherboard platform with a new Zen 2 core that allows for greater frequencies and IPC, PCIe Gen 4.0, 144MB of cache, and a new TRX40 core. The TDP of the 3970X has grown to 280W, which is slightly more than prior generations’ 250W. For those looking to overclock their CPU, the greater TDP could be a problem.

Empty-Handed Intel?

The Intel Core i9-10980XE Extreme Edition processor features 18 cores and 36 threads and costs MSRP. The Threadripper 3970X from AMD, on the other hand, has 24 cores and 48 threads.

Performance:

It’s in a class by itself, with no other Intel CPU to compare it to (save perhaps the Xeon workstation/server world). Cinebench R15 provides a good overview of performance across a wide range of demanding applications. A 1TB Corsair MP600 PCI Express NVMe M.2 SSD and 64GB of Corsair Dominator DDR4-3600 memory were used for testing. Despite the Threadripper 3970X’s brawn and physical might in multicore tests like Cinebench R15, single-core workloads remain a challenge. When you add more cores to a package, something has to give, and the clocks on a single core can suffer as a result.

In the POV-Ray rendering test, the AMD chip quickly regained its dominating advantage. When compared to the Core i9-9980XE Extreme Edition, the AMD Threadripper 3970X compressed files nearly three times faster. We conducted the same 7-Zip test after using 32GB of the maximum 64GB of RAM, and performance dropped by about 22%. The relative statistics give a picture of the impact that 7nm lithography and chipset-based architectures have had on the industry.

Overclocking: Low Ceiling on This Sample

I overclock the new AMD Threadripper 3970X utilizing MSI’s MSI TRX40 Creator motherboard in a series of stepped-overclocks. I tried everything I could to get all 32 cores to 4.8GHz (starting from a base clock of 3.7GHz and a boost clock of 4.5GHz). However, this proved to be far too unstable to be relied upon. I timed each core at 1.525V, independently of the others, for maximum stability. The outcomes weren’t nearly as striking as the clock spike (a 7% boost at its highest), with 7-Zip only delivering results that were around 2% better.

How Does the Ryzen Threadripper 3970X Game?

The AMD Threadripper 3970X pushes gaming and gaming performance to new heights. It outperforms almost every other processor we could put it up against in a battle. Most games can’t even use more than 16GB of RAM, which could explain CS: frame GO’s rate spikes at 4K resolution. No one should purchase a Threadipper CPU solely for gaming.

Pros:

  • With 32 cores and 64 addressable threads, the performance in multithread-aware testing is unrivaled. 
  • Excellent gameplay results. 
  • On some mainboards, ECC memory functionality is supported.

Cons:

  • The new TRX40 motherboard platform has a high entry cost. 
  • Overclocking ceiling is low. 
  • The single-core performances are average.

Conclusion:

AMD’s Threadripper 3970X, with 32 cores, is so far ahead of the curve that it effectively creates a new class of customer CPUs.If you’re a seasoned content creator with plenty of cash on hand, look no further: this is the V16 engine that gets your pulse racing.

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