Intel Xeon Gold 6246R vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   For example you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the full tests Intel Xeon Gold 6246R vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, streaming, machine learning, programming, video editing. Here is useful information from various benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A careful analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of joint testing in synthetic type tests such as WPrime, RealBench, 3DMark, PCMark 10, SuperPi, AIDA64, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), PassMark, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, Furmark, Handbrake, MATLAB, Prime95, Blender, Gears 5, DaVinci Resolve Studio, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, VeraCrypt.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an informed decision about which CPU is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X or Intel Xeon Gold 6246R.

Summary benchmark results

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

Xeon Gold 6246R

59%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

66%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is 10% better than Xeon Gold 6246R. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Xeon Gold 6246R

62%

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 of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will play 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, just 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: PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), League of Legends (LOL), Half-Life: Alyx, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Metro Exodus, DOTA 2A, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Control, Battlefield V, Ghostrunner, Horizon Zero Dawn, Forza Horizon 4, Monster Hunter World, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), NBA 2K20.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	109.5	113.6
Valorant	124.5	129.1
Cyberpunk 2077	69.7	72.3
Apex Legends	117.0	121.3
Call of Duty Warzone	93.4	96.8
Overwatch	100.8	104.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	85.9	89.1
DOOM Eternal	62.2	64.5
Warzone	97.1	100.7
Assassin's Creed	104.6	108.4
Valheim	103.3	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 amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, 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

Xeon Gold 6246R

16%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

15%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Xeon Gold 6246R is more energy efficient than the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X as it consumes less power: 205W vs. 280W. Power consumption is particularly 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

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, streaming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, then the main parameter for you is its 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 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. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit 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

	Intel Xeon Gold 6246R	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	179	209
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	5252	5933
Cinbench 20 Single-core	397	509
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	12359	13552
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1059	1270
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	29861	34255

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

	Intel Xeon Gold 6246R	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Single-Core	2365	2663
Multi-Core	30393	54830

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

	Intel Xeon Gold 6246R	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Single-Core	1041	1306
Multi-Core	21110	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 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, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Xeon Gold 6246R	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Announcement date	October 01, 2020	November 25, 2019
Type	Server	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA3647	sTRX4
Core name	Cascade Lake	Castle Peak
Architecture	x86	Zen 2
Generation	2	3
Turbo Frequency	4.1 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.8 MHz
Cores	16	24
Threads	32	48
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	7510 millions	22600 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	205 W	280 W
Memory type	DDR4-2933	DDR4
Max. Memory	1 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache		1.5MB
L2 cache		12MB
L3 cache	35.75 MB	128MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	Yes	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 10% better than Xeon Gold 6246R in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has 8 more core than Xeon Gold 6246R. 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 Xeon Gold 6246R is better: 5
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is better: 31
However, it should be realized that the summary data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should undividedly trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Xeon Gold 6246R and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X before making a decision which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Xeon Gold 6246R specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X specs and review.