CPU Showdown

Ryzen Threadripper 1950vsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is a first-gen 16-core workhorse for budget-minded creators stepping into high-core-count computing, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a modern 32-core monster for professionals who need maximum multi-threaded grunt.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950
16C / 32T · 180W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

Zen · 14 nm · 2017

17score
4.3/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
16 / 32
TDP
180W
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
L3 Cache
32 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

64score
4.4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 GHz
L3 Cache
128 MB

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Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Ryzen Threadripper 1950
17
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 276.5% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#128Ryzen Threadripper 1950X17
#129Ryzen Threadripper 195017
#130Ryzen 7 5800X17
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsRyzen Threadripper 1950Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores1632
Threads3264
Base Clock3.2 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock3.2 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache8 MB32 MB
L3 Cache32 MB128 MB
Platform
SocketSP3r2sTR5
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP180W350W
Max Turbo Power180W
General
ArchitectureZenShimada Peak
Process14 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall with much faster performance and double the cores for heavy workloads.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the older Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is the smarter pick if you need a usable workstation at a low cost.

When the other wins

The weaker Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is the right choice when you have an older SP3r2 motherboard and want to avoid a full platform upgrade.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (64 vs 17 out of 100), so it leads the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Ryzen Threadripper 1950?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 277% faster than the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Ryzen Threadripper 1950 is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.