AMD Ryzen Threadripper release date, news and features: everything you need to know
AMD’s flagship 16-core CPU
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AMDThreadripper initially launched in 2017, alongside AMD’s Ryzen processors for consumers. Theseimpressively overclockableHEDT processors, led by theThreadripper 1950X, took the high-end desktop scene by storm.
AMD didn’t stop after launching the Threadripper 1950X, however. AMD followed that up with theThreadripper 2nd Generationprocessors, spearheaded by the2950Xand2990WX. These processors were incredibly powerful, even leading AMD to suggest that cryptocurrency miners usethese HEDT chips instead of graphics cards– a credit to the high compute power on offer.
Threadripper 3rd Generationprocessors will likely launch later this year, and will be based on AMD’s new Zen 2 architecture. Thanks to the smaller 7nm manufacturing process, these processors should create a wider performance gap than what we saw whenRyzen 2nd Generationfollowed the first. We’ll likely see high core counts, along with faster clock speeds.
So, we figured it would be a good idea to explore everything that the original lineup of Ryzen Threadripper chips had to offer – from their initial release date and prices to performance and specs. And, be sure to bookmark this page, and we’ll update it with any new information that surfaces.
Cut to the chase
AMD Ryzen Threadripper release date
AMD Ryzen Threadripper first two processors the1950Xand 1920X arrived on August 10, 2017. While AMD’s entry levelRyzen Threadripper 1900Xcame out a few weeks later on August 31, 2017.
And, it looks like AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2nd Generation followed in the first’s footsteps – theAMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990Xlaunched on August 13, 2018 with the rest of the high-end CPUs coming in the following months. AMD isn’t going to slow down, either, AMD is planning on supporting Threadripper with new chipsuntil at least 2020, according to some leaks.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper price
At long last, we now have firm details on what price the AMD Ryzen Threadrippers will release at. They’re not cheap, but you canexpect to pay less for more performancethan you would get with a comparableIntelchip. The prices of all the AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors as they launched are as follows.
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As for the competition,Intel’s closest competitor to the 1950X, the Core i9-7960X will set you back a whopping $1,699 (around £1,315, AU$2,200). The Threadripper 1900X’s closest octa-core competitor from Intel is the Core i7-7820X at a much more reasonable $599 (£529, AU$869).
AMD Ryzen Threadripper specs and power
AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors absolutely destroyed everything else on the market when they first hit the streets. This is thanks to their insane core counts and multi-threaded performance. It wasn’t until Skylake-X hit the street that Intel got a leg up, and even then the price-to-performance ratio just wasn’t there. The specs for the Ryzen Threadripper chips are as follows:
To put this into perspective, the Intel Core i9-7960X has packs the same 16-cores and 32-threads as the Threadripper 1950X and so on and so forth with the Intel Core i9-7920X vs Threadripper 1920X and Intel Core i7-7820X vs Threadripper 1900X we’ve setup.
However, now that the Ryzen 2nd Generation has made it to market, you can find about 10% better performance in the Threadripper 2950X – with a lower price tag. Making it a great option for aspiring PC enthusiasts.
The Threadripper series uses AMD’s SMT (Simultaneous Multithreading) technology found in other Ryzen chips. Finally, the Ryzen Threadripper series processors uses a TP3 socket, which is a modified variant of the SP3 socket originally designed for AMD’s beefy server chips thatgo up to 32-cores.
In the future, AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors will be even more impressive. AMD’s Zen 2 architecture will see the manufacturing process drop from 14nm to 7nm, boosting efficiency, and thus the power of the upcoming Threadripper 3rd Generation. And, AMD won’t stop there. Recent reports show thatAMD will be using extreme ultraviolet (EUV) Lithographyto manufacture its 7nm+ processors. So, the future of Threadripper should be very exciting.
Matt is TechRadar’s Managing Editor for Core Tech, looking after computing and mobile technology. Having written for a number of publications such as PC Plus, PC Format, T3 and Linux Format, there’s no aspect of technology that Matt isn’t passionate about, especially computing and PC gaming. He’s personally reviewed and used most of the laptops in our best laptops guide - and since joining TechRadar in 2014, he’s reviewed over 250 laptops and computing accessories personally.
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