AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

The Threadripper 2990WX certainly is an unusual beast. In short, AMD has made a 32 core CPU that appears quite good for rendering. And that was about as much as we can prove from our standard test suite. The memory limitations do seem to make the 2990WX a very focused product and we're not sure how many users are going to find it useful for powering their workstation, given the inconsistent results.
- As reviewed by TechSpot on Aug 2018
32
Cores
64
Threads
3 GHz
Base Clock
4.2 GHz
Boost Clock
Socket TR4
Socket
250 W
TDP
No iGPU
Graphics
$2,990
Price
Release date:Aug 13, 2018Price at Launch:$1,799
Cores:32Threads:64
Base Clock:3 GHzBoost Clock:4.2 GHz
Type:DesktopMultithreading:Yes
L2 Cache:16 MBL3 Cache:64 MB
Box Cooler:NoTDP:250 W
Socket:Socket TR4Memory Support:DDR4-2933
Codename:Colfax (Zen+)Process Size:12 nm
Integrated Graphics:NoNPU:No
PCIe Support:PCIe 3.0, 64 Lanes

Performance Benchmarks

All benchmark data reflects aggregated results from dozens of tests conducted in TechSpot’s labs and compiled from our full library of CPU reviews. Single-core productivity scores are based primarily on Cinebench and Adobe Photoshop workloads. Multi-core results draw from Cinebench, Blender, Corona Benchmark, 7-Zip, Adobe Premiere Pro, and shader compilation tests. CPU gaming benchmarks are all 1080p runs (explainer) as published on TechSpot.

Single-Core Productivity

Multi-Core Productivity

Gaming Performance

Reviews and Ratings

89

Average Score

Based on 19 reviews

8.0

User Score

Based on 90 reviews

Reviewers Liked

  • Unprecedented 32-core configuration
  • Drop-in upgrade over last-gen TR
  • Up To 80 MB of Cache on the chip
  • Dedicated Gamer mode and Compute mode for optimized performance

Reviewers Didn't Like

  • Expensive platform
  • Single-thread not as good as Intel
  • Very High TDP (250W), Requires good cooling solutions
  • Very High Power Consumption when overclocked

We're now better armed with more information in regards to how the 2990WX performs than we were a few days ago. That said, this additional information hasn't changed our perception much. Throwing more work at these CPUs just provided more mixed results,...

By TechSpot on
75

The Threadripper 2990WX certainly is an unusual beast. In short, AMD has made a 32 core CPU that appears quite good for rendering. And that was about as much as we can prove from our standard test suite. The memory limitations do seem to make the 2990WX a very focused product and we're not sure how many users are going to find it useful for powering their workstation, given the inconsistent results.

By TechSpot on
75

The PC Specialist Nucleus is an expensive computer, but as workstations go its price is merely mid-range. You do get a lot of kit for under £4,000, with the whopping 32 processing cores, a reasonable 32GB of RAM, high-end professional graphics, and...

By Kitguru.net on
84

Ultimately, the Threadripper 2990WX is a very niche CPU that’s only fast in specific circumstances, and that’s as much down to its design as the scaling of software to 32...

By TopNewReview on
90

Who really needs 32 cores? The answer is fairly limited, but the perspective that AMD offers is that the new Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is quite a bit less expensive than Intel's current (though dated) flagship, the 18-core Core i9-7980XE, and handily...

By Gadgets360 on
70

Threadripper 2990WX barrels onto the high-end desktop scene with 32 cores and 64 threads, wowing enthusiasts accustomed to four- and eight-core processors. But the unique design has its caveats. You need to have specific workloads in mind able to exploit the 2990WX's massive resources. If you need this chip, then you probably already know it.

By TomsHardware on
90

The AMD Threadripper 2990WX is a niche processor that's in a multi-core league of its own. Feed it well with optimised software and it has no performance peer. For everyone that can't take full and utter advantage of 64 threads, the X-series may well be the better bet.

By Hexus on
90

The 2990WX Threadripper is truly a revolutionary part for AMD and the workstation market. Expect to see AMD market it as such. The 2990WX, and likely the 2970WX, does have some shortcomings to conquer in the media encoding realm however.

By HardOCP on
90

For the vast majority of people doing every day tasks, this CPU would be massive overkill. The latest generation Ryzen 7 or Intel i7 will provide more than enough performance for content creators and gamers alike, and even if you did decide to buy...

By techadvisor.co.uk on
100

You know, a year ago I was astounded by the fact I would be testing a 16-core processor, with 32 threads. The second best was a 12c/24t part, and while i did not expect it, I said it back then, there is no reason for AMD to not advance on this, as two...

By Guru of 3D on
100

One year after AMD released its 16-core Threadripper 1950X, the company is back with more. While the second-generation Threadripper processors focus on fixing the weaknesses of their predecessors, the flagship products also cram in more cores than...

By hardwarezone.com.sg on
90

The Threadripper 2990WX's performance proposition, however, differs depending on the use case. In compute intensive, multi-threaded workloads like those associated with content creation, the 32-core / 64-thread Threadripper 2990WX is an absolute beast....

By HotHardware on

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