The video provides an in-depth review of AMD’s new Zen 5-based Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series, which includes high-end desktop (HEDT) and workstation-focused models, with up to 64 cores and 128 threads. The HEDT lineup, which is more affordable though still expensive, consists of the 24-core 9960X, 32-core 9970X, and the flagship 64-core 9980X. The workstation Threadripper Pro 9000WX series supports up to 96 cores, more PCIe lanes, and memory channels but is not covered in detail here. The review focuses on the 9970X and 9980X, highlighting their specifications, pricing, and platform compatibility with ASUS Pro WS TRX50 Sage Wi-Fi motherboard and registered DDR5 memory.
Performance testing reveals that the 9980X delivers an 18% improvement in Cinebench multi-core scores over its predecessor, the 7980X, thanks to a combination of higher clock speeds and IPC gains. The 9970X shows a more modest 11% improvement over the previous 7970X. Power consumption remains similar to the previous generation, with the 9980X providing 163% more performance than Intel’s Core Ultra 925K while consuming 45% more power. Other benchmarks like Blender, 7Zip, Adobe Premiere Pro, and shader compilation show varying degrees of performance gains, with the 9980X generally outperforming the 9970X and previous generation models.
The review notes that Threadripper CPUs are not designed for gaming, and while they can handle games, their performance is not optimal compared to dedicated gaming CPUs like the 9800X3D. However, in heavily multi-threaded workloads like shader compilation, the 9970X and 9980X excel, delivering significantly faster results than other high-end CPUs. Operating temperatures and clock speeds during testing show the new Threadripper models running cooler and at higher frequencies than their predecessors, with the 9980X peaking at 74°C and averaging 4.3 GHz in Cinebench.
Overclocking via Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) can boost performance by an additional 6%, but at the cost of a substantial increase in power draw, making it less practical for professional users. The reviewer concludes that while the Threadripper 9000 series builds well on the Zen 4 foundation with maintained platform compatibility, the incremental performance gains may not justify upgrading from the 7000 series for current users. However, for new buyers, the 9000 series offers excellent multi-core performance at competitive prices, significantly outperforming Intel’s Xeon W9 3595X in both speed and efficiency.
Finally, the reviewer shares personal experience using the Threadripper platform for content creation, praising the stability and performance of the 7980X over the troubled 5995WX generation. They express confidence that the 9980X will continue this trend as their new daily workhorse for video editing and other demanding tasks. The video ends with an invitation to support the channel via Patreon or the join button for access to exclusive content and live streams.
