AMD Announces Threadripper 3990X, 64 Cores and 128 Threads with 280W TDP

(Image credit: AMD)

Update 2/7/2020: Check out our AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X review to see how the chip stacks up against the competition.

In an expected but much-anticipated announcement, AMD revealed today that it has a 64-core 128-thread processor coming to market in 2020.

The chip's beastly 280W TDP helps explain why AMD moved forward to the new sTRX4 socket, though, as the hefty processor will surely need a beefier power delivery subsystem.

The new Threadripper 3990X will likely drop into the newly-minted TRX40 platforms, but like the Threadripper 3970X and 3960X we reviewed today, it won't be backward compatible with existing X399 motherboards. 

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

Aside from noting that the chip will have an unbelievable 288MB of total cache, AMD didn't reveal any further details. However, given what we know about the Threadripper 3000 architecture, we know the chip will support PCIe 4.0, though the number of lanes it will expose to the user remains unknown. 

The Threadripper 3000 design is based upon the same design as AMD's EPYC data center chips. As shown in the graphic above, the design will move from the four compute chiplets present on the Threadripper 3970X to an eight-chiplet design, just like the EPYC Rome processor pictured below.

(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)

AMD's 32-core Threadripper 3970X also adheres to a 280W TDP envelope, but it's important to note that these measurements are based on AMD's definition of the amount of waste heat the cooler should be able to dissipate, and not the chip's actual power consumption. As such, the 3990X will likely draw more power than its 32-core counterpart. It's also logical to expect AMD to pare back the base clocks significantly from the 3.7 GHz we see with the 3970X, but the company's strategy of using a mix of faster and slower cores could still allow it to maintain a relatively high boost frequency.  

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Row 0 - Cell 0 Cores / ThreadsBase / Boost (GHz)L3 Cache (MB)PCIeDRAMTDPMSRP/RCPPrice Per Core
Threadripper 3990X64 / 128?256??280W??
Intel W-3175X 28 / 563.1 / 4.838.548 Gen 3Six-Channel DDR4-2666255W$2999$107.10
Threadripper 3970X32 / 643.7 / 4.5*12888 Gen 4 (72 Usable)Quad DDR4-3200280W$1999$62.47
Xeon W-327528 / 562.5 / 4.638.564 Gen3Six-Channel DDR4-2933205W$4,449$158.89
Threadripper 2990WX32 / 643.0 / 4.26464 (4 to PCH) Gen 3Quad DDR4-2933250W~$1,700$53
Threadripper 3960X24 / 483.8 / 4.5*12888 Gen 4 (72 Usable)Quad DDR4-3200280W$1,399$58.29
Xeon W-326524 / 482.7 / 4.63364 Gen 3Six-Channel DDR4-2933205W$3,349$139.54
Threadripper 2970WX24 / 483.0 / 4.26464 (4 to PCH) Gen 3Quad DDR4-2933250W~$925~$38.51
Core i9-10980XE18 / 363.0 / 4.824.7548 Gen 3 Quad DDR4-2933165W$979$54.39
Ryzen 9 3950X16 / 323.5 / 4.76464Dual DDR4-3200105W$749$46.81

Intel is already left with no real direct answer to AMD's latest 32-core Threadripper 3970X, as its comparable offerings slot into a higher price tier for the workstation market and come on motherboards equipped with a massive server socket that increases costs. It's unclear how the company will respond to the Threadripper 3990X. 

It wouldn't be surprising if AMD's 3990X debuts at a lower price than Intel's 28-core W-3275 that currently retails for $4,449, but AMD hasn't shared concrete pricing details.

AMD says the Threadripper 3990X will arrive in 2020 but hasn't given a firm date. 

Paul Alcorn
Managing Editor: News and Emerging Tech

Paul Alcorn is the Managing Editor: News and Emerging Tech for Tom's Hardware US. He also writes news and reviews on CPUs, storage, and enterprise hardware.

  • icraft
    At the end of the article there it's 2990X instead of 3990X
    Reply
  • patrick47018
    Sounds like quite the beast.
    Reply
  • hannibal
    3060 $1200
    3070 $2000
    3090 $4000-6000 at least... it is pure flagship product. It does not have to be cheap.
    Reply
  • derekullo
    hannibal said:
    3060 $1200
    3070 $2000
    3090 $4000-6000 at least... it is pure flagship product. It does not have to be cheap.

    While they could charge any price they want AMD has history of not price gouging on their high end.

    If we go back to the 2nd gen Threadripper we see


    The Threadripper 2950X's MSRP was $899 at launch with a price per core of $56.18

    The Threadripper 2970WX's MSRP was $1299 at launch with a price per core of $54.12

    The Threadripper 2990WX's MSRP was $1799 at launch with a price per core of $56.21

    A relatively stable $54-56 per core range.

    Now with the 3rd gen Threadripper prices are a bit higher, currently $58-62 per core.

    The Threadripper 3960X MSRP is $1399 with a price per core of $58.29

    The Threadripper 3970X MSRP is $1999 with a price per core of $62.47

    If AMD launched the 3990X at $64 a core it would be $4096, a mathematically elegant 64x64.

    This seems like too good of an opportunity to pass up on for AMD to rub the 64 figure in Intel's face.

    At the same time it would match the pricing scheme they have been using.
    Reply