CPU Showdown

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WXvsRyzen Threadripper 7970X

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is a 32-core workstation chip built on the older Zen+ architecture, ideal for budget-conscious creators who need lots of cores for heavily multi-threaded tasks, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is a modern 32-core Storm Peak processor for professionals demanding the fastest possible single-thread and multi-thread performance.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
32C / 64T · 250W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
32C / 64T · 350W
AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

Zen+ · 12 nm · 2018

19score
4.1/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
250W
Boost Clock
4.2 GHz
L3 Cache
64 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Storm Peak · 5 nm · 2023

60score
4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.3 GHz
L3 Cache
128 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

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

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
19
Ryzen Threadripper 7970XWinner
60
Ryzen Threadripper 7970X leads by 215.8% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#90Ryzen 9 3900XT20
#91Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX19
#92Core i9-10980XE19
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsRyzen Threadripper 2990WXRyzen Threadripper 7970X
Cores
Total Cores3232
Threads6464
Base Clock3.0 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.2 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache16 MB32 MB
L3 Cache64 MB128 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP250W350W
General
ArchitectureZen+Storm Peak
Process12 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7970X wins overall with much newer architecture and far better performance for modern workloads.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the smarter pick if you can find it cheap for older multi-core tasks.

When the other wins

The weaker Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the right choice when pairing with an existing TR4 motherboard to avoid a full platform upgrade.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX better than the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (60 vs 19 out of 100), so it leads the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X than the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is roughly 216% faster than the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX or the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X. If the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX 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.