Monday, December 30th 2019

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3980X is a 48-core Monster for When 64 Cores Are Too Many, 32 Too Few

In the press-deck of its 3rd Generation Ryzen Threadripper 3970X/3960X launch, AMD teased its flagship HEDT part for the TRX40 platform, the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X, with a 2020 launch date. It should come as little surprise then, that the core-count gap between the 3970X and the 3990X has an SKU in the middle - the 3980X. This SKU reportedly surfaced in CPU-Z 1.91 code. The 3980X is a 48-core/96-thread monstrosity for when 64 cores are too many, and 32 too few.

Like the 3990X, the 3980X will likely be built with eight "Zen 2" CCDs (chiplets) for optimal IFOP bandwidth utilization and heat-spread. Each CCD will likely be configured with 6 cores (3 per CCX), adding up to 48 cores on the package. Much like the 3990X, clock-speeds of the 3980X remain under the wraps. AMD is expected to launch the two some time in 2020, featuring compatibility with existing AMD TRX40 chipset motherboards. The company could target a sub-$3,000 price-point to make the Xeon W-3175X obsolete both in performance and value.
Source: MyDrivers
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71 Comments on AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3980X is a 48-core Monster for When 64 Cores Are Too Many, 32 Too Few

#26
E-curbi
ador250Zen2 has higher IPC than Coffelake, in stock settings 9900k loses to 3700x in many cases.
At stock clocks and settings - yes I've seen AMD and Intel ST benchmarks go back and forth, depending on the bench - AMD IPC is stronger.

Yet when overclocking, Intel still slightly ahead in single thread performance. Not by much, lol :)

------

Next 36months should see an amazing increase in ST performance from both manufacturers since it's FINALLY a real competition. :clap:

Maybe it's only a feeling, but I think these high core counts for processors are going to plateau, and both AMD and Intel will begin to refocus on single and slightly threaded performance which seems to be more difficult. :)

At stock settings, this ST bench (below) is almost ALL AMD at the top.

Intel 8000 and 9000 CPUs when overclocked can score 100-200-300 some CPUs 400 points higher (on ambient air) on this ST benchmark. :)

For MT performance, AMD just wins and wins and keeps on winning. lol

Posted on Reply
#27
dicktracy
Nobody cares for these overpriced CPUs. Former "discount brand" AMD is about to set record high price points for HEDT, probably up to $4000. Let that sink in. I won't be surprised if they start charging up to $1000 for mainstream by next year.
Posted on Reply
#28
Noztra
fancuckerCooper-Lake will arrive with 56 cores at 14nm++, MCM design, and will negate the entire series despite being 2 nodes behind. Only a matter of time (H2 2021)
Not even proper MCM. Its just 2x 28C clued together. And you know that it will be a 400/500W part that require watercooling. No enterprise is gonna buy or use it. TCO is gonna be 4 times higher than AMD’s best server CPU, while still being slower.
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#29
HTC
dicktracyNobody cares for these overpriced CPUs. Former "discount brand" AMD is about to set record high price points for HEDT, probably up to $4000. Let that sink in. I won't be surprised if they start charging up to $1000 for mainstream by next year.
Probably true ... and yet, 3990X + board can still be cheaper than W-3175X + board ...

Go figure ...

For it's use case, one can argue it's actually cheap, short of going Epyc or Intel's equivalent, which cost a heck of a lot more than $4000 for same / similar number of cores.
Posted on Reply
#30
Legacy-ZA
ShurikNThat CPU was obsolete the moment 3970X got released, no need to dig the grave deeper.
I think AMD needs to dust off and nuke Intel from orbit, its the only way to be sure...
Posted on Reply
#31
DeathtoGnomes
I hope the 3980X gets the Zen3 chiplets instead of Zen2, even its been speculated as "likely" to be the latter.
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#32
E-curbi
Legacy-ZAI think AMD needs to dust off and nuke Intel from orbit, its the only way to be sure...
You mean dust off and NUKE FOR MORBID? Wasn't that the line? lol :roll:
Posted on Reply
#33
thesmokingman
It must be hard being an Intel zealot these days. There's just not a whole lot of upside to cling to anymore.
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#34
Unregistered
I mean, it is insane to think that Intel somehow messed up their enormous lead! :roll:

Maybe they should have, I don't know, innovated? Now ARM is right on their heels and AMD is kicking the shizz out of them for goodness sake! :laugh:
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#35
candle_86
No need to run it into Intel fanboys wounds, let the and people be the bigger people.
Posted on Reply
#36
E-curbi
Hugh MungusI mean, it is insane to think that Intel somehow messed up their enormous lead! :roll:

Maybe they should have, I don't know, innovated? Now ARM is right on their heels and AMD is kicking the shizz out of them for goodness sake! :laugh:
It is shocking. :eek: Any moment now (for months actually) I've been waiting for Intel to simply say "PSYCH" we were only messing with you, we really do have amazing new CPU technology to offer you right now and here it is.

That moment never arrives. :oops: :p
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#37
lexluthermiester
EarthDoglulz at even HEDT needing this many cores/threads...holy cow!
Of course not. This CPU is aimed at the professional or niche enthusiast.
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#38
candle_86
E-curbiIt is shocking. :eek: Any moment now (for months actually) I've been waiting for Intel to simply say "PSYCH" we were only messing with you, we really do have amazing new CPU technology to offer you right now and here it is.

That moment never arrives. :oops: :p
They are aware clock speed is king to their fan base and testing out 16core 7ghz netburst 2 chips.
EarthDoglulz at even HEDT needing this many cores/threads...holy cow!
You will never need more than 640k ram
No one needs floating point for home use
No one needs quad core, it's to complicated to write programs for more than 2 threads

Everytime someone claims it's overkill it turns out it's not. A core 2 quad stayed relevant until 2015 while the e8400 went from being faster to unusable by 2012.

Someone with a 48 thread cpu may have it last longer than someone with 8 or 16 cores.
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#39
Unregistered
I want various core types in one chip...That's where this is going anyways...so exciting.
Posted on Edit | Reply
#40
chodaboy19
There is no turning back now, only thing intel can hope is to catch up to AMD... so much for tick-tock :)
Posted on Reply
#41
KarymidoN
dicktracyNobody cares for these overpriced CPUs. Former "discount brand" AMD is about to set record high price points for HEDT, probably up to $4000. Let that sink in. I won't be surprised if they start charging up to $1000 for mainstream by next year.
you realize those chips are not for us (users), its for people where their time is limited and its worth money (lots of money). I just watched a video on AMD YT channel about real professionals saving time and money by ditching render farms and gaining 5:1 in time vs Old (intel) solutions they had. for those people paying 2k, 3k, 4k in a CPU that will repay itself working is no problem, AMD knows it and its charging a premium for it, i see no problem.

Source:

"Something that normally would takie 5 minutes (before) is now taking 5 seconds"
thats the money shot.
Posted on Reply
#42
Imsochobo
fancuckerBefore we all board the train
- New socket and much worse value than previous gens (comparatively)
- How many workloads are still 'unoptimized'?
- Niche segment, esp. when AMD can't convince major companies to switch on the server side
- Lost out at After-effects, compression/decom and any scenario that requires CORE performance
- the 3960/70X consume more than the 3175 during handbrake
-New socket, same value as previous gens comparatively, just higher entry cost.
-How many workloads are still unoptimized ? for ryzen? doesn't seem to need it.
-Niche segment, well.. who do you think bought 6900k and such ?
Major companies to switch.
cloud.google.com/blog/products/compute/amd-epyc-processors-come-to-google-and-to-google-cloud
consent.yahoo.com/collectConsent?sessionId=3_cc-session_814f5ce6-3707-49cd-b9cc-949de3233918&lang=&inline=false
aws.amazon.com/ec2/amd/
azure.microsoft.com/nb-no/blog/announcing-new-amd-epyc-based-azure-virtual-machines/
-Aftereffects, I don't quite see where it lost ?
after effects 2nd bench
- Handbrake - Finally something correct!
images.anandtech.com/graphs/graph15044/113607.png
Posted on Reply
#43
InVasMani
ShurikNThat CPU was obsolete the moment 3970X got released, no need to dig the grave deeper.
No need at all with all the holes Intel has left open and exposed on it's own.
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#44
holyprof
dirtyferretCan the AMD 3980x play crysis?
If CPU core count keeps growing like that, from 2-core upper mainstream to 8-core upper mainstream in what, 5-6 years ... the CPU could even do the graphics rendering of Crysis someday.
Posted on Reply
#45
InVasMani
holyprofIf CPU core count keeps growing like that, from 2-core upper mainstream to 8-core upper mainstream in what, 5-6 years ... the CPU could even do the graphics rendering of Crysis someday.
These heavy multicore CPU's aren't too shabby at path based ray tracing actually is the interesting thing and where the industry is headed. If these had half as many cores and the other half were APU CU's they'd really stomp though. It's only a matter of time before AMD makes them into hybrid APU's because they've got the wiggle room to do so plenty of people would be keen on a 12 or 24 core TR APU that can game like a beast while streaming or server hosting and also is a powerful rendering machine at the same time. I still think AMD replacing the chipset and phasing it out for a second socket and just splitting all the chipset features between two mix and match Ryzen CPU's would be outstanding and insanely flexible quad channel memory that's bios configurable to be operate as single channel/triple channel per socketed CPU or as a balanced twin dual channels setup to both CPU's could even CF over infinity fabric two APU's. Want to mix a brute force multicore CPU with a bruteforce single threaded one well no problem do able and let the bios decide which is the master or slave socket for the memory bandwidth.
jmcslobI want various core types in one chip...That's where this is going anyways...so exciting.
Exactly different cores optimized for different scenario's is the best way to higher performance and efficiency eventually it's be more ASIC like with several on one package and a I/O chip controlling them all smoothly.
Posted on Reply
#46
Imsochobo
InVasManiThese heavy multicore CPU's aren't too shabby at path based ray tracing actually is the interesting thing and where the industry is headed. If these had half as many cores and the other half were APU CU's they'd really stomp though. It's only a matter of time before AMD makes them into hybrid APU's because they've got the wiggle room to do so plenty of people would be keen on a 12 or 24 core TR APU that can game like a beast while streaming or server hosting and also is a powerful rendering machine at the same time. I still think AMD replacing the chipset and phasing it out for a second socket and just splitting all the chipset features between two mix and match Ryzen CPU's would be outstanding and insanely flexible quad channel memory that's bios configurable to be operate as single channel/triple channel per socketed CPU or as a balanced twin dual channels setup to both CPU's could even CF over infinity fabric two APU's. Want to mix a brute force multicore CPU with a bruteforce single threaded one well no problem do able and let the bios decide which is the master or slave socket for the memory bandwidth.

Exactly different cores optimized for different scenario's is the best way to higher performance and efficiency eventually it's be more ASIC like with several on one package and a I/O chip controlling them all smoothly.
we'll probably see 1-2 vega cu's in all i/o dies so they'll likely start soonish with making apu cores do stuff just like intel with quicksync and their igp.
Posted on Reply
#47
Bones
candle_86You will never need more than 640k ram
No one needs floating point for home use
No one needs quad core, it's to complicated to write programs for more than 2 threads
I don't know why you went and put it in this way.
From a technical point of view you could be right.

From a more personal view, It's their call and cost to build, not anyone else's and if they do I'm sure they'd have reason(s) for it.

In short - Your singular view of what's needed doesn't apply to everyone or even anyone else, that's up to the user to decide for themselves in each instance as you have for yourself.
candle_86Everytime someone claims it's overkill it turns out it's not. A core 2 quad stayed relevant until 2015 while the e8400 went from being faster to unusable by 2012.

Someone with a 48 thread cpu may have it last longer than someone with 8 or 16 cores.
Some of us would want the extra cores for that very reason, These machines can be used for more than just gaming too.
There's simply too many reasons as to "Why" a person could want a big multi-cored setup at home for their own use. Maybe part of a home business, perhaps a bit of a hobbyist tinkering/learning about rendering/creating 3D stuff....... Maybe just to not spend all day getting things/projects completed.....
The list goes on.
Posted on Reply
#48
Crackong
dirtyferretCan the AMD 3980x play crysis?
Linus ran Crysis on 64 core EPYC.
Since the TR version has better ST performance I assume the same.

Posted on Reply
#50
Crackong
dont whant to set it"'@Crackong
That is blasfemy and utter sacrilege.
But...but it ran Crysis...right?
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