The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X, based on the Zen 5 architecture, is a 64-core, 128-thread CPU offering significant performance improvements for workstation tasks over previous generations and consumer chips. It features 80 PCIe Gen 5 lanes and quad-channel DDR5-6400 memory support (up to 1TB). While not designed for gaming, it excels in multi-threaded applications like Cinebench, 7-Zip, SpecWorkstation, Blender, and Godot Compile. For AI, its value lies in supporting multiple high-end GPUs via extensive PCIe lanes rather than CPU-based compute. It has a 350W TDP, but with Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) and extreme cooling, it can be pushed to much higher power draws and clock speeds. Priced at $5,000, it offers an upgrade for users needing increased PCIe lanes or memory bandwidth.
AMD Competitive Comparison Table highlighting PCIe Gen 5 lanes, core count, and TDP
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Zen 5 Architecture Performance Uplift: The move from Zen 4 to Zen 5 architecture resulted in a double-digit performance increase.
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9000 Series Zen 5 IPC Uplift Benchmarks
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Motherboard Connectivity (ASUS Pro WS TRX50-SAGE WIFI):
Five PCIe x16 slots: two run at Gen 5 x16, one at Gen 5 x8, and two at Gen 4 x4/x16.
Dual Gen 5 M.2 slots for storage.
ASUS Pro WS TRX50-SAGE WIFI Motherboard PCIe Slot Configuration
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- Extensive onboard connectivity (Wi-Fi 7, super-fast USB, 2.5 gigabit, and 10 gigabit networking) all running directly from the CPU without switching, preventing bottlenecks.
ASUS Pro WS TRX50-SAGE WIFI Motherboard Rear I/O Panel with Connectivity Labels
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Power and Cooling Requirements:
AMD recommends a 1500W power supply for overclocking, despite the 350W TDP, indicating high power draw potential under heavy loads.
Seasonic Prime TX-1600 Power Supply Unit Box
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The motherboard features dual 8-pin CPU power connectors, two additional 12V PCIe 8-pin connectors, and a 6-pin plus an 8-pin PCIe auxiliary power for slots, alongside a second 24-pin connector for dual power supply configurations.
Motherboard showing dual 8-pin CPU power connectors
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Motherboard showing a second 24-pin auxiliary power connector for dual PSU
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Requires a Threadripper-specific AIO cooler, such as a triple 120mm radiator (360mm AIO) for stock operation. The pump is integrated into the radiator for a low-profile block.
SilverStone Technology Threadripper-specific AIO Water Block
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The initial boot time was surprisingly quick, with memory training taking only about 5 minutes, which is relatively fast for a high-end desktop/workstation platform. The 128GB of RAM automatically configured to DDR5-6400.
While not designed for gaming, the Threadripper 9980X was tested in Cyberpunk 2077.
Performance: The CPU mostly kept pace with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D due to its high boost clock speeds in lightly threaded loads.
Usage Metrics: Exhibited low CPU usage (around 13%) and high GPU usage (95%), indicating the game was GPU-bound.
Cyberpunk 2077 in-game overlay showing 13% CPU usage and 95% GPU usage
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Thermal Anomalies: The CPU initially reached a high temperature of 97°C during gaming, despite drawing only around 100 watts, suggesting potential thermal or software reporting issues during gaming loads; later HWiNFO64 showed 48°C.
HWiNFO64 monitoring showing CPU power and temperature during Cyberpunk 2077 gameplay
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Power and Thermals (Stock): Maintained an average effective clock of 4.31 GHz across all 64 cores, drawing approximately 350 watts and reaching temperatures around 65°C.
HWiNFO64 monitoring showing CPU power and temperature during Cinebench (stock)
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Windows Task Manager showing 64 physical cores (128 logical processors) running at 4.33 GHz
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The Threadripper 9980X's role in AI and machine learning is primarily as a platform facilitator rather than a direct compute engine.
No Integrated AI Hardware: It lacks a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) or integrated GPU.
GPU Acceleration Focus: Its strength lies in its extensive PCIe Gen 5 lanes (80 lanes), which allow for the installation and efficient operation of multiple high-end GPUs (e.g., quad 5090s or workstation-grade cards) to form local superclusters for AI inference models.
CPU AI Performance: In CPU-centric AI computer vision tests (Procon AI), it underperformed, even losing to the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and a 2016 GTX 1060.
UL Procyon AI Computer Vision Benchmark: Ryzen 9 9950X3D vs EVGA GeForce GTX 1060 vs Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
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Conclusion: The CPU acts as a "supporting cast member" for AI, enabling powerful GPU setups, rather than being an "AI compute star" itself.
LTT opted to compare the Threadripper 9980X against AMD's consumer flagship, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, to evaluate its value proposition given its higher price point.
7-Zip 25.00 Decompression [12:43]: The Threadripper 9980X showed nearly double the performance in both compression and decompression compared to the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
Y-Cruncher [13:00]: Completed tests in under 8 seconds, indicating exceptional raw compute power.
Handbrake 1.9.1 (AV1 & H.264) [13:59]: Showed performance uplift, but not as dramatic (2-3x) as seen in other benchmarks, indicating it's better but not a revolutionary jump for encoding tasks.
An extreme cooling method using a custom water loop with an ice bucket was employed to push the CPU further beyond thermal limitations.
Setup: An older EK water block (compatible with STR5 socket) was used in conjunction with an ice bucket to provide sub-ambient cooling.
Challenges: The older water block had some internal gunk, and there was a risk of condensation, though this was deemed acceptable for a short test.
Gunk discovered inside the CPU water block during disassembly
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BIOS Settings: Extreme PBO settings including platform thermal throttle limit set to 100°C.
BIOS settings for Precision Boost Overdrive with platform thermal throttle limit set to 100°C
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Performance under Ice Cooling:
CPU temperatures dropped significantly to a casual 8-13°C.
HWiNFO64 monitoring showing CPU Core Clocks, Temperature, and Power Consumption under ice bucket cooling with low temps
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Power draw dramatically increased, reaching 640 watts and eventually spiking to 770 watts.
All-core clock speeds climbed from 4.85 GHz to over 5 GHz, peaking at 5.3 GHz.
HWiNFO64 monitoring showing CPU Core Clocks over 5GHz and power over 600W with manual overclocking under ice cooling
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HWiNFO64 monitoring showing peak CPU Core Clocks at 5.3 GHz and power at 770W under ice bucket cooling
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Findings: The CPU was power and thermally limited even with a high-end AIO, indicating that with sufficient cooling and power, it can achieve much higher sustained clock speeds across all cores.
The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a powerful workstation CPU with impressive multi-core performance.
Cooling: Surprisingly not difficult to cool at its default 350W TDP; a 360mm AIO is sufficient.
HWiNFO64 monitoring showing 4.85 GHz core clocks and 487.88W power during Cinebench stress test
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Upgrade Value: While a strong product, it is not necessarily a worthwhile upgrade from the previous generation Threadripper unless specific needs for more PCIe lanes or memory bandwidth are paramount.
Pricing: The CPU is priced at $5,000, maintaining the same price point as its predecessor.
Future Outlook: Upcoming Threadripper Pro chips (WRX90 chipset) promise even more extreme capabilities, including support for up to 128 PCIe Gen 5 lanes, 96 cores, and 8 channels of DDR5 RAM (up to 2TB).
