Looking at the threadripper models—Threadripper, Threadripper PRO, Threadripper Gen4—and future possibilities.
Looking at the threadripper models—Threadripper, Threadripper PRO, Threadripper Gen4—and future possibilities.
Hello there, I've been digging into CPUs and am leaning toward AMD's Threadripper. Your insights, guidance, and suggestions would be greatly appreciated as I try to make an informed choice. A bit about me: I recently sold my 2013 trashcan, went blind for a while, and now I'm excited to upgrade my PC for work and gaming. Over time, my setup has needed more power—especially for heavy music sessions, light design work, video editing, and even running games late at night. Right now, I’m putting in the effort to learn and build this system myself.
I’ve been reading a lot about processors since it’s the first thing on my list, but I’m still not as familiar with all the details. I have a temporary setup I’m managing, so I’m comfortable waiting and learning before committing.
I’d love your help with a few questions:
1) How do Threadripper and Threadripper PRO differ? Things like base speed, overclocking, socket options, and new features? Is there a clear winner for my needs?
2) When will the 4th generation Threadripper arrive? I’m wondering if it’s the third-gen model and whether there are rumors about a Gen 4 or 4000 release soon.
3) Are there any other Intel CPUs I might have missed that could compete? Should I hold off or wait for AMD?
4) What improvements can we expect with Zen 3 architecture? Is there a roadmap leak I should check?
5) Are there any other Intel processors worth considering, or should I stick with AMD?
I’m trying to decide based on what works best for my lifestyle and future plans. Thanks in advance for your advice—I really value your perspective! You can listen to my music while reading this: https://song.link/ae/i/1490836770
Do you prefer a ready-made certified version? If yes, obtain the pro—it's only available on one workstation right now. Otherwise, choose the standard Threadripper. No specific release dates, and no immediate rumors. Likely a few months before launch, so check those 5900x/5950x listings. It should cover your needs well and represent a significant improvement over what you have now.
The PRO AMD parts are often OEM parts meaning that it's unlikely you'll find it easily available at retailers, of course they're also locked. There is a chance, but that's just me speculating, that the 3975WX is a lower binned chip, but that shouldn't matter anyway since you won't be able to overclock it to start with. Not really, though the 3970X is a little overkill, I'd personally suggest either a 5900X or 5950X from AMD the 5900X has 12 cores and the 5950X has 16 cores, both of these cpu's have better single threaded performance and multi threaded performance in some tasks and will most likely meet your needs.
Choose a non-pro with stronger base/boost clocks.
Possibilities might emerge around mid-2021—don’t rely on WCCftech rumors.
Avoid pre-releases; servers are managed by AMD, so opt for a Threadripper.
If you don’t need 24 cores, go with a 5950X—it’ll perform much better.
Don’t rush for the pro; wait a long time for the fourth generation. AMD isn’t Intel, and 24+ cores + Threadripper is ideal tomorrow.
It seems there are limited options for getting PRO, mainly pre-built ones. I plan to explore the distinctions further to grasp the variations. Still, I’m puzzled about why there are two versions of what appears to be the same chip. Those differences really caught my attention when I read about the new release. While reviewing Intel’s offerings, the main distinction between their desktop and workstation models was ECC memory. That made me consider the 3960X as a strong choice, blending features from both sides. But I’m not entirely confident ECC delivers clear benefits yet. The processor in my old storage unit worked without it, so I doubt any noticeable impact on data or application performance.
The variations between the two chips are mainly about clock speed and whether one is an OEM non-consumer part while the other is a consumer model that performs better (the 3970x). For your situation, it doesn't matter much. What specifications were there for the Mac trashcan? The 16-core 5950x could be a solid option since most programs don’t scale well beyond a certain number of cores, and the 5950x also offers better performance on single cores.
It makes sense, considering what I’m reading. The PRO series seems like a ready-made option for businesses needing a pre-built setup. Probably doesn’t require deep technical knowledge anymore. It has lower specifications, but it stands out compared to other choices at the moment. When you dive into Intel details, it can feel overwhelming—like you’d need to rely heavily on it. 2.7 GHz, 12 cores, upgraded to 64 GB RAM back then. I don’t recall the exact RAM speed, but it was a big deal when I first learned about how components interact. Running a Pro Tools HDX system meant connecting the PCIe card to a Thunderbolt 2 chassis, which limited data transfer speeds. I’ve heard similar points. Generally, more cores help when handling multiple tasks at once, but not necessarily for single applications. Core performance would be more beneficial in that case. If I’m right, the 5950X is now very appealing with a boost to 4.9.
I saw various sites giving conflicting information, which is typical since leaks exist and don’t confirm future commitments. I’m unsure if I’ll hold onto this plan until mid-2021, but I plan to test my current approach as long as time allows.
Avoid going through that hassle and follow the likely better alternative. I’ll look at the pricing of the 5950X versus the 3960X before deciding. There’s no clear way to check if you’ll need more than 16 cores right now, but the 3960X can still reach 4.5 performance. The gap between 5950X (4.9) and 3960X (4.5) is only about 0.4—small on paper, but what does it actually mean for real tasks?