Revived HEDT Brings Extra Cores of Zen 4

AMD’s Ryzen Threadripper 7000 processors mark the most recent additions to the high-end desktop (HEDT) market, a section AMD needs to deliver again to the mainstream. Based mostly on AMD’s confirmed Zen 4 structure and constructed on TSMC’s 5nm course of, each of AMD’s new Ryzen Threadripper 7000 lineups – Professional and non-Professional – are designed to deliver extra cores and extra I/O to the high-end desktop and workstation markets. Altogether, AMD is providing three new Ryzen Threadripper 7000 SKUs, the top-end 7980X with 64 cores, the mid-tier 7970X with 32 cores, and the entry-level chip within the line-up, the 24-core 7960X.

As has been the case for the vanilla Threadripper collection since its inception, the aim of AMD’s server-derived processors is to satisfy the calls for of desktop customers who require excessive multitasking capabilities and excessive throughput for advanced workloads, providing extra CPU cores, extra reminiscence channels, and extra PCIe lanes than what in any other case comes with AMD’s desktop platform. On the similar time, the fundamental Threadripper lineup differentiates itself from the skilled workstation-focused Threadripper Professional chips – on this case, AMD’s new Threadripper 7000 WX-series – by leaving out a few of the extra ‘Professional’ options that include that {hardware}, in addition to a few of the CPU/reminiscence/IO {hardware} that the much more highly effective Professional chips provide. Segmenting each product traces is a good suggestion, given the pedigree and use instances of each the Professional WX-series and non-Professional chips are aligned with. With Threadripper 7000, AMD targets buyer bases that want CPUs extra highly effective than a desktop Ryzen processor however not as unique (or costly) as what’s basically a full server-grade chip.

After taking a break within the earlier technology, AMD is as soon as once more providing a HEDT-focused line-up to customers, which is as grandiose as it’s fascinating. When AMD launched the Zen 3-based Threadripper 5000 collection, AMD solely ever launched the workstation-focused Professional components, leaving customers searching for semi-affordable high-core depend CPUs within the mud. This time, AMD has determined to deliver the HEDT again, making a pair of Threadripper traces just like the Threadripper 3000 household in 2019.

At this time in our AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 collection evaluate, we will be specializing in the highest two chips from the trifecta, the top-end Ryzen Threadripper 7980X (64C/128T) and the center of the street 7970X (32C/64T). We’ll be evaluating them to the earlier Ryzen Threadripper 3000 collection and immediately in opposition to Intel’s Sapphire Rapids Workstation CPUs, together with the flagship Intel Xeon w9-3495X. Additionally, we’ll be placing them in opposition to the desktop flagships, such because the Intel Core i9-14900K and the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X, to see how way more efficiency AMD’s new foray into HEDT customers can squeeze out. Is there an acceptable place available in the market for HEDT chips, given how far desktop processors have progressed throughout the final couple of years? Let’s discover out.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Sequence: Bringing HEDT Again

After AMD skipped releasing a vanilla Threadripper processor as a part of their Zen 3 structure household – what would have been the Ryzen Threadripper 5000 collection – issues definitely regarded dim for the way forward for the high-end desktop (HEDT) market. Mixed with Intel additionally skipping HEDT that technology by not bringing down their troubled Ice Lake server silicon to HEDT merchandise, and it was trying like HEDT could have lastly been pushed out by extra highly effective desktop processors. However a technology later, and issues have seemingly modified for the higher for the HEDT market. Seeking to additional capitalize on the success of their Zen 4 structure, AMD is bringing again HEDT fashions to the market by way of the Threadripper 7000 collection, with three new chips ranging as much as 64C/128T, all with full Zen 4 cores.

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X, 7970X, and 7960X are the most recent entries within the HEDT market, bringing vital developments in processing energy and effectivity. The 7980X is the highest SKU with 64 cores/128 threads, a turbo clock velocity of as much as 5.1 GHz, and a base clock of two.5 GHz. The 7970X has half the cores and threads, for 32 cores/64 threads altogether, and affords the next base frequency of three.2 GHz and matches its higher-end counterpart’s 5.1 GHz turbo clock.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X (64C/128T) CPU-Z Screenshot

These chips are aimed toward driving demanding multi-threaded functions that may saturate excessive core depend CPUs, comparable to superior content material creation, 3D rendering, and sophisticated computational duties. The 7980X, the extra highly effective of the 2, is especially suited to eventualities requiring excessive multitasking and excessive throughput.

Conversely, although AMD is not sampling it for at present’s evaluate embargo, the Threadripper 7960X represents the opposite facet of the coin. With 24 cores/48 threads, a base frequency of three.2 GHz and a turbo clock velocity of as much as 5.3 GHz, the 7960X affords the fewest cores, however nonetheless the entire reminiscence bandwidth and I/O lanes the Threadripper platform can present, making it particularly properly suited to duties the place information throughput fairly than uncooked CPU efficiency is the bottleneck. Nonetheless, with fewer CPU cores, it is the entry-level half (for those who can name it that) to AMD’s new HEDT platform, with an MSRP of $1499.

Concerning reminiscence and I/O capabilities, the Threadripper 7000 collection helps quad-channel DDR5 reminiscence and as much as 48 PCIe 5.0 lanes, providing loads of bandwidth for units comparable to storage and graphics. Distinctive to the Threadripper 7000 platform (versus AMD’s client platform), AMD helps RDIMMs right here, permitting the for help for as much as 1 TB of reminiscence by way of DDR-5200 RDIMMs – over 5x as a lot reminiscence as desktop Ryzen.

These processors characterize AMD’s dedication to pushing the potential of desktop computing energy, catering to each professionals, fans, and all the pieces in between. They’re designed for customers who require greater than what commonplace desktop CPUs can provide. The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X and 7970X are designed to excel in multi-threaded workloads. Their theoretical potential to deal with extra numerous and intensive workloads than desktop processors makes them a pivotal alternative within the present HEDT panorama.

One step above that is the Threadripper 7000 Professional WX collection, which has help for 8 channels of reminiscence, pushing the efficiency the place workloads, instruction units, and functions can profit from each extra reminiscence bandwidth and better reminiscence densities.

The TRX50 Chipset: Designed For Threadripper 7000, Helps TR Professional 7000 WX-Sequence

Launching alongside the brand new Threadripper chips is AMD’s TRX50 chipset. The TRX50 platofrm makes use of the brand new 4844 pins sTR5 socket, which just like the Threadripper processors themselves, is derived from AMD’s EPYC choices – on this case the SP6 socket AMD launched for his or her lower-priced EPYC 8004 (Siena) processors. Regardless of the equivalent pin depend, it ought to be famous that sTR5 and SP6 should not pin suitable.

In the meantime, taking a look at issues on a generational foundation, there’s a diploma of cooler compatibility. Particularly, older socket sTRX4 Threadripper coolers will nonetheless match on the 58.5mm x 75.4mm sTR5 socket. This implies customers upgrading from sTRX4 chips ought to theoretically be capable to recycle their previous cooler. Nevertheless, they would definitely have to be able to supporting the next TDP of 350 W.

Platform diagram of the WRX90 (left) and TRX50 (proper)

For reminiscence and I/O, the TRX50 platform helps 4-channel DDR5 reminiscence and 80 PCIe lanes. Although the latter finally ends up being an sudden mixture of PCIe 5.0 lanes and PCIe 4.0 lanes, with 48x PCIe 5.0 lanes alongside an extra 32x PCIe 4.0 lanes. As PCIe Gen5 is extra advanced to implement and longer runs require re-drivers, AMD has opted to restrict the manufacturing prices of motherboards by not working fairly so many max-speed PCIe lanes. On the similar time, the thought of TRX50, particularly when immediately in comparison with WRX90 for Threadripper Professional 7000 WX-series chips, is that it’s a cut-down model to offer all the pieces customers want on a middle-abridged chipset between desktop AM5 and WRX90 – which means that dialing again some PCIe lanes to 4.0 additionally gives some characteristic differentiation between the 2 Threadripper lineups.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X (32C/64T) CPU-Z Screenshot

It’s value highlighting that Threadripper 7000 Professional chips can be utilized in TRX50 motherboards. However, in fact, they are going to be subjected to the identical reminiscence channel and I/O limitations. In that respect, TRX50 boards can be utilized as a finances board pairing for Threadripper Professional chips. In any other case, the converse is fake: non-pro Threadripper 7000 chips can’t be utilized in WRX90 boards, as illogical as that might be.

Check Mattress and Setup

We use the next check programs for our AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X, 7970X, and Intel Xeon WS-series testing:

For our head-to-head comparability, now we have readily available Intel’s newest Sapphire Rapids Xeons. Just like the Threadripper collection, the Xeons are break up up into two sub-groups – the full-fat Xeon w-3000 collection for high-end workstations, and the lighter Xeon w-2000 collection for extra mainstream workstations. Sadly, the one Xeons now we have readily available are the w-3000 collection components (which is what Intel sampled for reviewing when these had been launched), so it isn’t fairly an apples-to-apples comparability, particularly because the w-3000 Xeons help 8 channels of reminiscence (versus TR’s 4 channels).

Nonetheless, there are similarities in core and thread depend and TDP that ought to provide some enlightening information. Each platforms have a max TDP of 350W, and the Intel W9-3495X we’re utilizing is a 56C/112T chip, whereas the Threadripper 7980X is a 64C/128T chip.

For added taste, we’ll be including in information from each AMD and Intel’s flagship desktop processors, together with the Core i9-14900K, the Ryzen 9 7950X, and Ryzen 9 7950X3D. We may also be evaluating the brand new AMD Threadripper 7000 collection chips to their earlier counterparts, together with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X (64C/128T), which we reviewed in 2020, in addition to the Threadripper 3970X (32C/64T).

Learn on for our prolonged evaluation.