AMD Unveils Zen 5 Threadripper 9000 CPUs With Up To 96 Cores, Bodacious 480MB Cache
AMD is making a splash at Computex this week. In addition to formally introducing the Radeon RX 9060 XT, a mainstream GPU that it claims is the "world's best" GPU for under $350, it's also rolling out a new round of Ryzen Threadripper processors. And rather than go with a staggered release, AMD lifted the curtain on both high-end desktop (HEDT) variants for enthusiasts and Pro models for workstations (and/or ultra-enthusiasts).
We knew these chips were coming because they've been so extensively leaked and teased over the past several months. So in that regard, there aren't many surprises here. That's not a bad thing, though, with the new line of Threadripper models scaling to 96 cores and 192 threads. Yes, so did the previous generation Threadripper lineup, though the main differentiating factor, of course, is that these are based on AMD's Zen 5 architecture.
Starting with the HEDT lineup, AMD has introduced a trio of models. Sitting at the top is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X, a 64-core/128-thread chip with a 3.2GHz base clock, up to a 5.4GHz boost frequency, and a generous heaping of total cache at 320MB, including 256MB of L3 cache.
Next in line is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X with 32 cores, 64 threads. It features a 4GHz base clock, a 5.4GHz max boost clock, 128MB of L3 cache, and 160MB of total cache.
Finally, there's the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X with 24 cores, 48 threads, a 4.2GHz base clock, up to a 5.4GHz max boost clock, 128MB of L3 cache, and 152MB of total cache.
While the HEDT models top out at 64 cores and 128 threads, the Pro 9000 WX series goes even higher. Leading the way is the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX with 96 cores, 192 threads, a 2.5GHz base clock, up to a 5.4GHz boost frequency, a heaping pile of 384MB of L3 cache, and 480MB of total cache. Folks, that's a lot of cache.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9945WX features a tamer configuration with 12 cores, 24 threads, a 4.2GHz base clock, up to a 5.4GHz boost clock, 64MB of L3 cache, and 152MB of total cache.
You can see the specs in the chart above for the other four models that sit in between those two SKUs. One thing to note is that every new Threadripper chip is capable of hitting a 5.4GHz boost frequency. They also all slip into AMD's sTR5 socket and have a 350W TDP.
Most of AMD's focus on its newly minted Threadripper parts is on the Pro models. As far as AMD is concerned, Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000, otherwise known as Shimada Peak, is the "world's best workstation processor." It backs this up with internal benchmarks showing impressive multi-threaded performance in Cinebench 2024, as well as a set of graphs comparing the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9995WX to Intel's Xeon W9-3595X.
Of course, the 9995WX is throwing a lot more cores and threads at workloads than the W9-3595X. It's also working with more cache and faster clocks, all of which result in some chunky performance gains, according to AMD's internal benchmarking data.
We'll reserve judgement until we've had a chance to put Threadripper in Zen 5 form through the paces ourselves. In the meantime, AMD partners such as Dell, HP, Lenovo, Supermicro, and others will begin offering Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000 WX-series configs starting sometime later this year. The HEDT Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series and select standalone Pro 9000 WX models will be available starting in July, AMD says. No word yet on pricing.
