Review of AMD's Thread Ripper 9000 Series

Overview

• AMD launched the Thread Ripper 9000 series CPUs, particularly the 9980X and 9970X models.
• It represents a significant advancement, leaving Intel far behind in performance benchmarks.
• The review focuses on real-world applications and performance comparisons with previous generation CPUs.

Key Specifications

• Thread Ripper 9980X:

  • 64 cores, 128 threads
  • Higher single core boost clock
  • More L1 cache
  • More PCI Express 5.0 lanes
  • Supports up to 6,400 MT/s memory
  • Built on Zen 5 architecture

• Thread Ripper 9970X:

  • 32 cores, 64 threads
  • Strikes a balance for both professional and non-professional tasks

Performance Comparison

• General Improvement:

  • The 9980X shows improvement over the 7980X in various benchmarks.
  • Example performance improvements: Photoshop benchmark (+13%), Vray rendering (+25%).

• Variability Based on Application:

  • Varying improvements in different applications like Photoshop and Premiere Pro.
  • Performance in applications such as 7zip is not always better, demonstrating application dependency.

Use Case Recommendations

• Ideal for heavy multi-threaded applications and running multiple virtual machines.
• Not optimized for gaming, especially compared to CPUs like the 9950 X3D.

Memory Overclocking

• Memory speed not majorly influencing performance differences.
• 7980X and 9980X both tested with 128 GB memory at 6400 MT/s.

Gaming Performance

• 9970X demonstrates better gaming performance over 64-core variants.
• Not recommended for gaming-focused builds, especially for higher resolutions like 4K.

Pricing Considerations

• Pricing for the new Thread Ripper models remains unchanged from the last generation.
• Concerns over pricing increase for Pro models similar to Intel's historical pricing.

Conclusion

• Thread Ripper 9000 series is a nuanced upgrade at the same price, offering improvements for specific applications.
• Important to evaluate core requirements based on individual applications before upgrading.
• AMD continues to perform well, but competition remains crucial to prevent potential price increases similar to Intel.