AMD Athlon Silver 10 vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX Comparison

The AMD Athlon Silver 10 and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX occupy opposite ends of the desktop and mobile spectrum, yet their average benchmark scores are strikingly close. The Athlon Silver 10, a 2-core mobile part, posts an average score of 6849, while the 24-core Threadripper 2970WX averages 6760. The data shows the Threadripper holds a narrow edge in raw multithreaded throughput, but the Athlon’s modern architecture and efficiency make it a viable choice for lightweight, portable workloads. The verdict is clear: pick the Athlon Silver 10 for low-power, single-thread-sensitive mobile tasks, and the Threadripper 2970WX for heavily threaded desktop productivity where its massive core count dominates.

The Verdict

The benchmark data paints a clear picture of two processors designed for entirely different purposes. The AMD Athlon Silver 10, with its 2 cores and 2 threads, is a mobile-first chip that excels in efficiency and single-thread responsiveness. Its average benchmark score of 6849 places it in the 63rd percentile of all CPUs, putting it on par with the Intel Core i3-1115G4, which scores 6851, and just ahead of the Intel Xeon Gold 6154, which trails by 0.7% with a score of 6803. For users who need a compact, low-power device for everyday browsing, document editing, and media consumption, the Athlon Silver 10 is the rational choice.

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX, meanwhile, is a desktop behemoth with 24 cores and 48 threads. It averages 6760, placing it in the 62nd percentile, narrowly behind the Intel Core i7-12700E, which scores 6776 and leads by 0.2%. Despite its age, the Threadripper’s raw core count makes it the undisputed winner for video rendering, software compilation, and other parallel workloads. However, its 250W TDP and desktop-only socket mean it is not a portable option. The data indicates that if your priority is multithreaded performance and you have a stationary workstation, the Threadripper 2970WX is the superior investment; if you need a capable mobile processor, the Athlon Silver 10 is the only one of the two that fits.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures, which explains their divergent strengths. The Athlon Silver 10 uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Mendocino, manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC. This modern node allows for a die size of just 100 mm², contributing to its remarkably low 15W TDP. In contrast, the Threadripper 2970WX is based on the older Zen+ architecture, codenamed Colfax, built on a 12 nm process at GlobalFoundries. Its die is composed of four 213 mm² chiplets, totaling a massive 19,200 million transistors, which explains its 250W TDP.

Cache configurations differ dramatically. The Athlon Silver 10 features 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a small 2 MB shared L3 cache. The Threadripper 2970WX, by contrast, offers 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a massive 64 MB of L3 cache. This larger cache pool is critical for feeding 24 cores with data. The Athlon uses LPDDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, delivering 88.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while the Threadripper uses DDR4 in a quad-channel setup, providing 93.9 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory. The Athlon includes integrated Radeon 610M graphics, whereas the Threadripper has no integrated graphics, necessitating a discrete GPU. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Athlon provides 4 Gen 3 lanes, while the Threadripper offers 60 Gen 3 lanes for extensive expansion.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Direct head-to-head benchmark comparisons are not available in the dataset, but the individual benchmark suites reveal where each processor wins. The Athlon Silver 10’s PassMark results show a strong single-thread score of 2089, which is competitive for everyday tasks. Its floating-point math score of 5936 and integer math score of 9354 are respectable for a 2-core part. The data compression score of 42492 is notably high, suggesting efficient memory handling. However, its multithread score of 3543 and physics score of 210 are limited by the lack of cores. The find prime numbers score of 13 is a weak point, indicating poor performance in this specific math-heavy test.

The Threadripper 2970WX, tested on Cinebench and Geekbench, shows a different profile. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26305 is exceptional, dwarfing the Athlon’s capabilities in heavily threaded workloads. The R23 single-core score of 3713 is also higher than the Athlon’s PassMark single-thread score, though the tests are not directly comparable. The Geekbench multicore score of 7195 reinforces its multithreaded dominance, while the single-core score of 1236 is lower than expected for a desktop chip. The data shows that the Threadripper wins decisively in any workload that can utilize more than a few cores, while the Athlon holds its own in lightly threaded scenarios due to its newer architecture.

Specification Differences

The specification sheet highlights stark contrasts between the two chips. The Athlon Silver 10 has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the Threadripper 2970WX has 24 cores and 48 threads. Base clocks are 2.40 GHz for the Athlon and 3.00 GHz for the Threadripper, with boost clocks of 3.50 GHz and 4.20 GHz, respectively. The Athlon’s TDP is 15W, a fraction of the Threadripper’s 250W. The socket types are incompatible: the Athlon uses AMD Socket FT6 for mobile, while the Threadripper uses AMD Socket SP3r2 for desktop.

The Athlon’s process node is 6 nm from TSMC, whereas the Threadripper uses 12 nm from GlobalFoundries. The Threadripper has a transistor count of 19,200 million and a die size of 4x 213 mm², while the Athlon’s die is 100 mm² with no listed transistor count. Cache sizes differ as noted: the Athlon has 2 MB L3, the Threadripper has 64 MB L3. Memory support is LPDDR5 for the Athlon and DDR4 for the Threadripper, with bus widths of dual-channel and quad-channel, respectively. The Athlon has integrated Radeon 610M graphics; the Threadripper has none. The Threadripper has an unlocked multiplier, while the Athlon does not. The Threadripper’s launch MSRP was $1299, which may be stated once as historical context. The Athlon’s release date is September 30, 2025, while the Threadripper launched on October 1, 2018.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 10 averages 6849, which is higher than the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX’s average of 6760, despite the Threadripper having 12 times the core count.

Q: How does the Threadripper 2970WX compare to its nearest rival in multithreaded performance?

A: The Threadripper 2970WX’s Cinebench R23 multicore score of 26305 demonstrates its strength, and its average score of 6760 is only 0.2% behind the Intel Core i7-12700E, which scores 6776.

Q: Is the Athlon Silver 10 suitable for gaming?

A: The data shows a PassMark single-thread score of 2089, which is competitive for light gaming, but its integrated Radeon 610M graphics and low core count (2 cores) suggest it is better suited for general productivity than demanding gaming.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The Athlon Silver 10 has a TDP of 15W, making it extremely power-efficient, while the Threadripper 2970WX has a TDP of 250W, requiring substantial cooling and power delivery.

Q: Can the Threadripper 2970WX use the same memory as the Athlon Silver 10?

A: No, the Threadripper 2970WX uses DDR4 memory in a quad-channel configuration, while the Athlon Silver 10 uses LPDDR5 in a dual-channel configuration. They are not interchangeable.

Q: Which processor has better single-thread performance?

A: The Athlon Silver 10 scores 2089 in PassMark single-thread tests, while the Threadripper 2970WX scores 3713 in Cinebench R23 single-core. Since these are different test suites, direct comparison is not possible, but the Threadripper’s higher clock speed of 4.20 GHz boost suggests it is faster in single-thread tasks.