Intel Core i9-7980XE vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision by looking at the Intel Core i9-7980XE vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X tests and understand which is better for games or normal use for programming, rendering, video editing, streaming, machine learning. Here is all information from different benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in synthetic type tests like PassMark, PCMark 10, VeraCrypt, SuperPi, 3DMark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, AIDA64, Dolphin Emulator, RealBench, UserBenchmark, Gears 5, MATLAB, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, Furmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, Prime95, Handbrake.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data of joint benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X or Intel Core i9-7980XE.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-7980XE

58%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

66%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is 12% better than Core i9-7980XE. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-7980XE

60%

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 play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: Control, Metro Exodus, Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Forza Horizon 4, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, DOTA 2A, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), Horizon Zero Dawn, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Battlefield V, Half-Life: Alyx, NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	107.0	113.6
Valorant	121.6	129.1
Cyberpunk 2077	68.1	72.3
Apex Legends	114.3	121.3
Call of Duty Warzone	91.2	96.8
Overwatch	98.5	104.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.9	89.1
DOOM Eternal	60.8	64.5
Warzone	94.9	100.7
Assassin's Creed	102.2	108.4
Valheim	100.9	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 that were in the comparisons not only did they have different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful 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

Core i9-7980XE

23%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

15%

To make a final resolution 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 Core i9-7980XE is more energy efficient than the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X as it consumes less power: 165W vs. 280W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need 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

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, video rendering or video editing, programming, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the advantages of multi-core mode are unused.

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3455	5933
Cinbench 20 Single-core	446	509
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	7671	13552
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1281	1270
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	28196	34255

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Single-Core	2490	2663
Multi-Core	29612	54830

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

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Single-Core	1158	1306
Multi-Core	18658	25072

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same can be said about overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-7980XE	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Announcement date	April 01, 2017	November 25, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	sTRX4
Core name	Skylake	Castle Peak
Architecture	x86	Zen 2
Generation	9	3
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	2.6 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	18	24
Threads	36	48
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	22600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	280 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s
L1 cache		1.5MB
L2 cache		12MB
L3 cache	24.75 MB	128MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		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 31% better than Core i9-7980XE in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has 6 more core than Core i9-7980XE. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-7980XE is better: 7
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is better: 30
Although it should be realized that all the number in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-7980XE and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X before making a selection which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-7980XE specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X specs and review.