Ryzen Threadripper 3990XvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X
The Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is a 64-core monster built for heavily parallel tasks like 3D rendering, while the newer Threadripper 9970X targets professionals who need faster single-core performance for things like code compiling and video editing.
Ryzen Threadripper 3990X
Matisse · 7 nm · 2019
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Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
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 9970X wins overall with faster single-core and modern architecture, though the 3990X holds an edge for heavily parallel workloads.
For budget-conscious buyers needing extreme multi-threading, the older 3990X offers more cores at a likely lower cost than the newer 9970X.
The weaker 3990X is the right choice for rendering or scientific simulations that scale across many cores without needing high clock speeds.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 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 48 out of 100), so it leads the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X in most workloads.
How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X?
Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 33% faster than the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.
Which should you buy, the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?
If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 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.