CPU Showdown

Ryzen Threadripper 2990WXvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is a 32-core workstation CPU from the Zen+ era built for heavy multitasking on a budget, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a 64-core monster from the Shimada Peak generation for professionals who need maximum processing power.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX
32C / 64T · 250W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
64C / 128T · 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

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9980X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

86score
3.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
64 / 128
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 GHz
L3 Cache
256 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 2990WX
19
Ryzen Threadripper 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 352.6% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#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 9980X
Cores
Total Cores3264
Threads64128
Base Clock3.0 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.2 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache16 MB64 MB
L3 Cache64 MB256 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP250W350W
General
ArchitectureZen+Shimada Peak
Process12 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X wins overall for far superior multi-threaded performance and modern architecture.

Best value

Budget or value buyers should pick the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX if found cheaply, as it still handles heavy workloads at a lower cost.

When the other wins

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is the right choice for legacy software or motherboards that only support the TR4 socket.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (86 vs 19 out of 100), so it leads the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 353% 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 9980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. 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.