AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs AMD Ryzen 9 5950X

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs AMD Ryzen 9 5950X tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, rendering, programming. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or several benchmarks. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software such as 7zip, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Dolphin Emulator, UserBenchmark, Blender, AIDA64, VeraCrypt, Blender, SuperPi, Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, RealBench, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Furmark, 3DMark, PassMark, Prime95, PCMark 10, MATLAB, Handbrake.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 5950X or AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X.

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 3990X

74%

Ryzen 9 5950X

64%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is 13% better than Ryzen 9 5950X. 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 3990X

71%

Ryzen 9 5950X

60%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, 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 small game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the final table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: NBA 2K20, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Metro Exodus, Monster Hunter World, DOTA 2A, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Control, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, Hitman 3, Horizon Zero Dawn, League of Legends (LOL).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	126.3	107.2
Valorant	143.5	121.9
Cyberpunk 2077	80.4	68.2
Apex Legends	134.9	114.6
Call of Duty Warzone	107.6	91.4
Overwatch	116.2	98.7
Red Dead Redemption 2	99.0	84.1
DOOM Eternal	71.8	60.9
Warzone	111.9	95.1
Assassin's Creed	120.6	102.4
Valheim	119.1	101.1

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 comparisons not only were the equipped with different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. Therefore, 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 3990X

15%

Ryzen 9 5950X

57%

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 9 5950X is more energy efficient than the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X as it consumes less power: 280W vs. 105W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to count so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, machine learning, video editing or video rendering, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor turns on all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to achieve maximum efficiency. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether 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 advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

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

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	200	277
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	10542	4569
Cinbench 20 Single-core	495	647
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	24763	10428
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1254	1639
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	74422	28641

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

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Single-Core	2528	3455
Multi-Core	81559	46183

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

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Single-Core	1341	1814
Multi-Core	37544	18863

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful 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. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in new games. The economy are obvious! It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Announcement date	February 07, 2020	November 05, 2020
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	sTRX4	AM4
Core name	Castle Peak	Vermeer
Architecture	Zen 2	Zen 3
Generation	3	5
Turbo Frequency	4.3 MHz	4.9 MHz
Frequency	2.9 MHz	3.4 MHz
Cores	64	16
Threads	128	32
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	22600 millions	9400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	280 W	105 W
Memory type	DDR4	DDR4
Max. Memory
Memory Frequency	3200	3200
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache	4MB
L2 cache	32MB	8MB
L3 cache	256MB	64MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	100-000000163 100-100000163WOF	100-000000059 100-100000059WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 5950X is 14% better than Ryzen Threadripper 3990X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Ryzen Threadripper 3990X has 48 more core than Ryzen 9 5950X. 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 3990X is better: 20
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is better: 12
Although it should be realized that all the number in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the opinion of of people who bought AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X and AMD Ryzen 9 5950X before making a selection which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 9 5950X specs and review.