Intel i9-10980XE or Ryzen Threadripper 3960X available?
Intel i9-10980XE or Ryzen Threadripper 3960X available?
I was really determined to purchase the 10980XE at first. As an avid Intel supporter, I felt it was important to stay loyal. But after reviewing the latest comparisons between Intel and AMD processors, I'm now considering AMD options. Choosing the Threadripper 3960X from AMD seems like a smart move. It offers dual-channel memory, fewer PCIe lanes, and only two cores less than the 10980XE. For my main use case—video editing—I don’t play games, so benchmarks aren’t crucial to me. Any thoughts?
3960X performs well in both single and multi-threaded scenarios. It supports PCIe 4.0 with 64 lanes compared to 3.0’s 44 lanes. Zen 2 offers 3200MHz support versus Intel’s 2666MHz. The maximum turbo speed on the Intel Cascade-X reaches 4.8GHz, while the 3960X hits 4.5GHz. On the clock, the 9900K reaches up to 5GHz, whereas the 3700X is around 4.4GHz. The performance gap is roughly 300MHz on the 9900K versus 3700X, and the 3700X clocks at 4.4GHz compared to 4.5GHz on Intel. Assuming 1000 points for the 9900K, it would score about 1060 points for the 3960X—around 13% faster in clock speed and 6% quicker in single-threaded performance. If you plan to upgrade, there’s space for at least a 32GB LPDDR4 and possibly 48GB/64GB RAM later.
When it comes to render performance, 3960X might seem impressive, but I still think it's better than Sandy Bridge-E. The extra 33% cores add up, even if their performance per core isn't drastically different—especially with Ryzen. You won’t get a full 5GHz from 18 cores, and that won’t match the speed of 4GHz from 24 cores. However, GPU rendering does exist, but it really depends on the software you're using.
CPU rendering offers top-notch results, whereas GPU rendering provides only average quality but runs significantly quicker. Your decision is important, though aside from rendering, I don’t see much distinction between 16 or 64 cores—they’re not as demanding when you already have that many in your system.
I’m focusing on the 3960X for several reasons, mainly the thermals. I’m placing this configuration in a compact chassis (Cerberus X) with solid airflow but restricted cooler space. AMD’s specs say "Max Temps: 68°C," which matches Intel’s junction temperature. Will it trigger throttling at that level? Checking the page here: https://www.amd.com/en/products/cpu/amd-...pper-3960x. If so, I likely won’t be able to maintain the required cooling. I’m not using liquid cooling, so this could be a major issue.
I don't have a specific reference confirming the TJ max is 100°C for that CPU.