Ryzen Threadripper 3960XvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X
The Threadripper 3960X is a 24-core workstation CPU built for creators who need a strong balance of multi-threaded grunt and reasonable power draw, while the Threadripper 9980X is a 64-core monster aimed at professionals who demand absolute maximum throughput for the heaviest rendering or simulation loads.
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Matisse · 7 nm · 2019
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Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025
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Overall Performance Score
A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.
Side-by-Side Specs
Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.
Which should you buy?
The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X wins overall with far more cores and faster clock speeds, making it the clear choice for heavy multithreaded work.
For budget-minded buyers, the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X offers solid performance at a lower cost, though the 9980X provides more cores per dollar.
The Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is the right pick if your workload runs on older TR4 motherboards and you don't need the extreme core count of the 9980X.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 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 33 out of 100), so it leads the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X in most workloads.
How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X?
Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 161% faster than the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.
Which should you buy, the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X or the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?
If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. If the Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 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.