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On the one hand, following years of tepid, usually single-digit percentage advances from one chip generation to the next, 2017 has been a year of amazing improvements in desktop PC CPUs. Beginning in March, AMD released its top-tier Ryzen 7 1800X CPU, followed by its midrange Ryzen 5 and entry-level Ryzen 3 counterparts.

They typically offered more cores and threads than Intel’s rival processors at comparable prices. However, Intel didn’t let the summer pass without a retort. On a new Core X-Series enthusiast-grade platform that featured CPUs from both the “Skylake” (6th Generation) and “Kaby Lake” (7th Generation) chip generations, Core i9 chips, lead by the Intel Core i9-7900X, were released in response.

But even for those of us who are fortunate or unfortunate enough to do this for a job, keeping up with all of these new chips and new performance levels may be challenging. While AMD’s Ryzen processors generally outperform similarly priced Intel CPUs in multi-threaded applications, when utilized with a top-tier graphics card like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Founders Edition that we tested with, they bring latency issues that reduce performance in 1080p gaming.

AMD has revolutionized the chip industry over the past six months with its low-cost, high-core-count Ryzen CPUs. It now seems even more ambitious to purchase the $999 (on release) AMD Ryzen TR 1950X. This could merely appear to be a Ryzen chip on steroids, but it also introduces an architecture and characteristics that were previously reserved for servers and desktops of the highest caliber.

AMD Ryzen TR 1950X Specifications

The Threadripper processor will open your eyes if you’ve never worked with server-grade components before. Physically, the processor is wider than the majority of CPUs sold to consumers. Additionally, Threadripper CPUs come attached to a holder that you slide into place rather than a chip that is dropped into the motherboard; we’ll have instructions on how to install the processor soon.

Since the processing dies are located in the chip’s center, those who use liquid cooling systems may find it extremely unsettling to have the corners of their CPU exposed and bare.

After you get used to the new physical characteristics of Threadripper, there are new software profiles to become familiar with. The AMD Ryzen TR 1950X and all current Threadripper components are set up to operate in either a Creative or Game Mode right out of the box.

Users can generally anticipate that premiere, video encoding, and multitasking will run more smoothly in Creative Mode without being too technical.

In contrast, Game Mode instructs the CPU to disable half of its cores and switch back to a more conventional memory access protocol, enabling it to provide marginally greater frame rates while gaming.

For workstations, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is a top-tier desktop processor. With 16 cores and 32 threads, it operates at 3.4 to 3.7 GHz (all cores). With XFR, a single core can run at up to 4 GHz. 180 Watts is the TDP rating. The 16 cores contribute significantly to the excellent multi-core performance. However, fast quad-cores like the Ryzen 7 2700X or Intel Core i7-8700K are quicker in modern games from 2017 and 2018.

The base frequency of the AMD Ryzen TR 1950X is 3.4 GHz, and it increases to 3.6 GHz when dealing with heavily threaded applications. When performing sparsely threaded workloads, mainstream Ryzen models offer a dual-core Precision Boost, but because to Threadripper’s dual-die design (which we’ll discuss on the following page), that boost increases to a quad-core 4.2 GHz boost. AMD provides unlocked multipliers for all Threadripper models, similar to Intel’s Skylake-X series, but enhances overclocking frequency and voltage scaling by choosing the best 5% of Zeppelin dies. As a result, the voltage needs should be lower than for Ryzen 7 machines.

AMD Ryzen TR 1950X Specs

Platform	Boxed Processor
# of CPU Cores	16
Base Clock	3.4GHz
L3 Cache	32MB
Unlocked for Overclocking	Yes
Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax)	68°C
Product Family	AMD Ryzen™ Processors
# of Threads	32
L1 Cache	1.5MB
Default TDP	180W
CPU Socket	sTR4
Launch Date	7/31/2017
Product Line	AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ Processors
Max. Boost Clock	Up to 4.0GHz
L2 Cache	8MB
Processor Technology for CPU Cores	14nm
Thermal Solution (PIB)	Not included
*OS Support	Windows 10 – 64-Bit EditionRHEL x86 64-BitUbuntu x86 64-Bit*Operating System (OS) support will vary by manufacturer.

AMD Ryzen TR 1950X Performance

We’ve grown accustomed to the trend of Ryzen processors dominating in multi-core performance while the Core i-series dominates in frequency and gaming frame rates in the AMD vs. Intel battles. The performance differences between the Threadripper 1950X and Core i9-7900X, however, are less pronounced.

Instead, they trade blows, defeating one another on certain tests.

With the AMD Ryzen TR 1950X, AMD set out to create the ideal processor for multimedia creators, and we can definitely claim that it succeeded. In comparison to its Intel counterpart, the Threadripper 1950X performs much better in Cinebench tests and encrypts video at a little higher frame rate. In contrast, the Core i9-7900X triumphs thanks to better PCMark 8 and Geekbench results.

In the end, both of these CPUs are outperforming the standard quad- to octa-core processors we regularly test and use, as they should for such a high asking price.

With greater frame rates across all of our gaming benchmarks, the Intel Core i9-7900X may appear to be the clear winner when it comes to gaming. However, Intel’s advantage swiftly vanished as we increased the resolution on Total War: Warhammer and Rise of the Tomb Raider.

From our tests, it also appears that you may completely disregard Game Mode as it barely adds one or two additional frames per second with the majority of graphically demanding titles. Games that need a lot of processing power will be more affected by Game Mode, such as Total War: Warhammer, which increased its frame rate from 92 to 112 fps.

We anticipate seeing far better results in a few months when we play the same games again as developers figure out how to optimize for even higher-core count processors, just like with Ryzen chips that came before Threadripper.

The company’s Ryzen Master software allows you to choose between Threadripper’s “Creator Mode” and “Game Mode,” which are both available. Creator Mode, which is always on and provides the optimum performance for jobs that require several threads, is activated by default. Game Mode optimizes RAM performance and disables some cores (the exact number depends on the hardware). Complexity surrounds what’s truly taking place behind the scenes. And according to AMD, out of the 100 or so games it tested, Game Mode offered, at best, a 10 to 12 percent gain while, in some cases, degrading performance (by as much as 4 percent). In other words, while certain games favor reduced latency, others prefer more cores.

Final thoughts on AMD Ryzen TR 1950X 

You might be a serious maker of digital content who nevertheless uses an outdated Intel Extreme Edition computer. Perhaps you’ve yearned to acquire a powerful chip with many cores for research or creation, but you haven’t been able to afford Intel’s expensive prices. In those circumstances, the AMD Ryzen TR 1950X is a no-brainer, and the Threadripper 1920X, which costs $200 less, is also not a slouch. Either one will perform core-intensive tasks noticeably better than competitive Intel CPUs that cost the same or more.

Just be aware that, for the time being at least, you’ll need to spend more on a motherboard and possibly more on a cooler—especially if you want to overclock. Comparing the Threadripper chips to Intel’s rival, similarly equipped silicon, they are unquestionably a value. However, depending on your daily activities, the total package could not end up being as affordable as the popular AMD Ryzen 7 platform. In the upcoming weeks and months, we’ll have to wait and see how Threadripper coolers and motherboard prices develop.