AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X and decide which is better for games or normal use for video editing, rendering, programming, machine learning, streaming. Here is all information from various benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as GeekBench 6, 5.2, Handbrake, AIDA64, VeraCrypt, SuperPi, Blender, WPrime, UserBenchmark, Prime95, 3DMark, RealBench, PassMark, Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, 7zip, Gears 5, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PCMark 10, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Dolphin Emulator.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

Grand Theft Auto V
Borderlands 3
Valheim
DOOM: Eternal
Fallout 76
Rainbow Six Siege
Call of Duty: Warzone and Modern Warfare
Overwatch
Halo Infinite
Red Dead Redemption 2
Last Man Standing
Fortnite
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Apex Legends
Cyberpunk 2077
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Death Stranding
Watch Dogs Legion
Valorant

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X or AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

59%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

66%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is 10% better than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

58%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

64%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because this processor costs several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a low game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Monster Hunter World, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Battlefield V, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, Control, Metro Exodus, Forza Horizon 4, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	103.3	113.6
Valorant	117.4	129.1
Cyberpunk 2077	65.7	72.3
Apex Legends	110.3	121.3
Call of Duty Warzone	88.0	96.8
Overwatch	95.1	104.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	81.0	89.1
DOOM Eternal	58.7	64.5
Warzone	91.6	100.7
Assassin's Creed	98.6	108.4
Valheim	97.4	107.1

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, 4K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Ryzen Threadripper 2950X

22%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

15%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is more energy efficient than the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X as it consumes less power: 180W vs. 280W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor uses all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to work, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	180	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3187	5933
Cinbench 20 Single-core	449	509
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7003	13552
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1127	1270
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	21444	34255

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Single-Core	2484	2663
Multi-Core	30571	54830

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Single-Core	1222	1306
Multi-Core	14988	25072

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Announcement date	August 31, 2018	November 25, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	sTR4	sTRX4
Core name	Colfax	Castle Peak
Architecture	Zen+	Zen 2
Generation	2	3
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.5 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	16	24
Threads	32	48
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	12 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	18800 millions	22600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	180 W	280 W
Memory type	DDR4	DDR4
Max. Memory
Memory Frequency	2933	3200
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache	1.5MB	1.5MB
L2 cache	8MB	12MB
L3 cache	32MB	128MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	YD295XA8UGAAF YD295XA8AFWOF	100-000000010 100-100000010WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is 7% better than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has 8 more core than Ryzen Threadripper 2950X. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X is better: 3
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is better: 30
Although it should be understood that all the number in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X before deciding which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X specs and review.