AMD is making waves in the world of high-performance processors with the announcement of its latest Threadripper CPUs. The company is introducing two distinct classes of processors, the Threadripper Pro series tailored for professionals, and the Threadripper HEDT (High-End Desktop) series designed for power users and enthusiasts.
AMD’s Zen 4 Architecture
Both the Pro and HEDT chips are built on AMD’s Zen 4 architecture, offering cutting-edge features such as support for PCIe Gen 5 high-speed storage. At the top of the Threadripper Pro lineup is the 7995WX, a powerhouse with a staggering 96 cores and 192 threads, a maximum boost clock of 5.3GHz, up to 384MB of L3 cache, and an impressive 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes. AMD is launching a total of six Threadripper Pro chips, with the entry-level 7945WX featuring 12 cores and 24 threads.
The Threadripper HEDT chips, on the other hand, are aimed at professionals in fields like design, manufacturing, architecture, engineering, and media. AMD is offering three Ryzen Threadripper chips in this category. The flagship 7980X boasts 64 cores, 128 threads, a peak clock speed of 5.1GHz, and a generous 320MB total cache but comes with a price tag of $4,999.
New AMD Threadripper CPUs 7980X, 7970X, 7960X, & Threadripper Pro CPUs Announced
Memory and Motherboard Compatibility
When choosing a Threadripper for a workstation, buyers must also consider compatible memory and motherboards. Notably, the Threadripper 7000-series chips exclusively support registered memory, rendering unbuffered dual in-line memory modules (UDIMM) incompatible.
AMD is rolling out TRX50 motherboards for the HEDT chips and WRX90 motherboards for the Pro platform. Notably, the TRX50 motherboards are versatile and can support both Pro and HEDT chips. This means users could potentially build a high-end desktop system with 96 cores and 192 processing threads. However, this setup would not harness the full power of the Pro chips, which offer eight-channel memory support and 128 lanes of PCIe Gen 5.
Reviews & Benchmarks
To assess the real-world performance and capabilities of these new processors, professionals and enthusiasts alike will have to await comprehensive reviews and benchmarks. It remains to be seen how AMD’s Threadripper CPUs will stack up against Intel’s Xeon and Core processors, as well as AMD’s own regular Ryzen 7000 series.
The eagerly anticipated Ryzen 7000 Threadripper CPUs, both Pro and HEDT, are scheduled for release on November 21st, promising to usher in a new era of high-performance computing for professionals and enthusiasts alike.
