AMD Ryzen 3 3200G vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX Comparison

The Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 3 3200G and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX occupy entirely different corners of the desktop processor market, and the benchmark data reflects this fundamental split. The Threadripper 2970WX wins all eight recorded head-to-head comparisons, with the largest margins appearing in multi-threaded workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Threadripper scores 26305 against the Ryzen 3's 5955, a delta of -77.4% from the perspective of the smaller chip. The single-threaded gap is narrower but still decisive: the Threadripper leads by -28.5% in Geekbench single-core (1236 vs. 884) and by -77.5% in Cinebench R15 single-core (374 vs. 84).

The database shows the Ryzen 3 3200G sits at the 63rd percentile of all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 6931, while the Threadripper 2970WX lands at the 62nd percentile with an average score of 6760. Despite the Threadripper's overwhelming victory in every head-to-head test, its aggregate percentile ranking is nearly identical to the Ryzen 3's. This occurs because the Ryzen 3's average score benefits from a broader benchmark suite that includes lighter workloads where its four cores can keep pace proportionally, whereas the Threadripper's average is pulled down by the same light-threaded tests relative to its massive multi-core advantage.

The verdict is straightforward. The Ryzen 3 3200G is the appropriate selection for desktop users who need a compact, integrated solution with a 65 TDP, active production status, and a 12 nm Picasso die. The Threadripper 2970WX is the choice for workloads that scale across 24 cores and 48 threads, where its 250 TDP and quad-channel memory bus are acceptable trade-offs. The data does not support using the Ryzen 3 for heavy parallel compute, nor does it support using the Threadripper for tasks dominated by single-thread latency where its higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz still cannot overcome the per-core architecture differences relative to the Ryzen 3's 4.00 GHz boost.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Zen+ architecture and a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries, but the physical implementations diverge sharply. The Ryzen 3 3200G uses the Picasso codename with a monolithic die of 210 mm² containing 4,940 million transistors. The Threadripper 2970WX uses the Colfax codename and a multi-chip module design described as 4x 213 mm², totaling 19,200 million transistors. The die size difference alone explains much of the performance gap: the Threadripper packs roughly four times the silicon area and nearly four times the transistor count.

The core topology differs as expected from the thread counts. The Ryzen 3 provides 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The Threadripper provides 24 cores and 48 threads, effectively doubling the thread count over the core count. Both processors expose 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, but the shared L3 cache is where the disparity becomes visible: the Ryzen 3 has 4 MB shared, while the Threadripper has 64 MB. For cache-resident workloads, the Threadripper's larger L3 pool reduces memory pressure and improves scaling.

The memory subsystems also differ. The Ryzen 3 uses dual-channel DDR4, while the Threadripper uses quad-channel DDR4 with a recorded memory bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s. The Ryzen 3's memory bandwidth is not listed in the database, but the quad-channel configuration of the Threadripper provides a structural advantage in bandwidth-sensitive tasks. PCIe connectivity is Gen 3 for both, but the Threadripper offers 60 lanes from the CPU, whereas the Ryzen 3's lane count is not specified. The Ryzen 3 includes integrated Radeon Vega 8 graphics; the Threadripper has no integrated graphics at all, meaning it requires a discrete GPU for display output.

The sockets and platforms are incompatible. The Ryzen 3 uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Threadripper uses AMD Socket SP3r2. The Ryzen 3's part numbers are YD3200C5M4MFH and YD3200C5FHBOX; the Threadripper's part number is YD297XAZUHCAF. Both have unlocked multipliers, and both list DDR4 memory support with ECC not enabled. The production status for both is listed as Active, so neither is end-of-life according to the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head suite contains eight tests, and the Threadripper 2970WX wins every one of them. The most lopsided results appear in Cinebench multi-core tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Threadripper scores 2651 against the Ryzen 3's 600, a -77.4% delta. The R20 multi-core result shows 11048 vs. 2501, again -77.4%. The R23 multi-core result shows 26305 vs. 5955, with the same -77.4% delta. The consistency of this percentage across R15, R20, and R23 suggests the performance ratio is stable across Cinebench versions, indicating the multi-core scaling advantage is intrinsic to the core count rather than a specific benchmark artifact.

Single-core Cinebench results also favor the Threadripper, though the deltas vary slightly. In R15 single-core, the Threadripper scores 374 vs. the Ryzen 3's 84, a -77.5% delta. In R20 single-core, the scores are 1559 vs. 352, a -77.4% delta. In R23 single-core, the scores are 3713 vs. 840, again -77.4%. The near-identical deltas across all three Cinebench single-core tests indicate that the Threadripper's higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz, combined with the same Zen+ architecture, provides a consistent per-thread advantage over the Ryzen 3's 4.00 GHz boost. The Ryzen 3's clock advantage is marginal at 0.20 GHz, but the Threadripper still wins by a wide margin, suggesting that other factors such as memory latency or cache hierarchy contribute to the single-thread gap.

Geekbench results show a smaller but still substantial Threadripper lead. In Geekbench multi-core, the Threadripper scores 7195 vs. the Ryzen 3's 2833, a -60.6% delta. In Geekbench single-core, the Threadripper scores 1236 vs. the Ryzen 3's 884, a -28.5% delta. The single-core Geekbench delta is notably smaller than the Cinebench single-core delta, which indicates that Geekbench's single-threaded workload is less sensitive to the architectural and clock differences between the two chips. The multi-core Geekbench delta of -60.6% is also smaller than the Cinebench multi-core deltas, suggesting that Geekbench's parallel scaling saturates earlier or uses a different thread scheduling pattern.

The winsA and winsB counts confirm the sweep: 0 wins for the Ryzen 3, 8 wins for the Threadripper. No benchmark in the head-to-head set favors the smaller chip, even in single-threaded tests where the Ryzen 3's lower core count should theoretically reduce contention. The data shows the Threadripper's per-core performance is superior across every measured dimension, not just in raw multi-threaded throughput.

Specification Differences

The following fields differ between the two processors according to the database:

• Cores: 4 (Ryzen 3) vs. 24 (Threadripper)
• Threads: 4 vs. 48
• Base clock: 3.60 GHz vs. 3.00 GHz
• Boost clock: 4.00 GHz vs. 4.20 GHz
• TDP: 65 vs. 250
• Socket: AMD Socket AM4 vs. AMD Socket SP3r2
• Codename: Picasso vs. Colfax
• Generation: Ryzen 3 (Zen+ (Picasso)) vs. Ryzen Threadripper (Zen+ (Colfax))
• Transistors: 4,940 million vs. 19,200 million
• Die size: 210 mm² vs. 4x 213 mm²
• L3 cache: 4 MB (shared) vs. 64 MB
• Memory bus: Dual-channel vs. Quad-channel
• Memory bandwidth: not listed vs. 93.9 GB/s
• Integrated graphics: Radeon Vega 8 vs. none
• PCIe: Gen 3 (lane count not listed) vs. Gen 3, 60 Lanes (CPU only)
• Release date: 2019-07-06 vs. 2018-10-01
• Launch MSRP: not listed vs. $1299
• Part number: YD3200C5M4MFH / YD3200C5FHBOX vs. YD297XAZUHCAF

Fields that are identical include the architecture (Zen+), process node (12 nm), foundry (GlobalFoundries), L1 cache (96 KB per core), L2 cache (512 KB per core), memory support (DDR4), ECC memory (false), market segment (Desktop), production status (Active), multiplier unlocked (true), and PCIe generation (Gen 3). The base clock favors the Ryzen 3 by 0.60 GHz, but the boost clock favors the Threadripper by 0.20 GHz.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2970WX has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, while the AMD Ryzen 3 3200G has a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. The Threadripper leads by 0.20 GHz.

Q: How large is the multi-core performance gap in Cinebench R23?

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Threadripper 2970WX scores 26305, and the Ryzen 3 3200G scores 5955. The delta is -77.4% from the Ryzen 3's perspective, meaning the Threadripper is roughly 4.4 times faster in this specific test.

Q: Does the Ryzen 3 3200G include integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Ryzen 3 3200G includes Radeon Vega 8 integrated graphics. The Threadripper 2970WX does not include any integrated graphics, so it requires a separate GPU.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The Threadripper 2970WX has a recorded memory bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s over a quad-channel bus. The Ryzen 3 3200G uses a dual-channel bus, and its memory bandwidth is not listed in the database.

Q: Which processor has the higher percentile ranking in the database?

A: The Ryzen 3 3200G is at the 63rd percentile of all CPUs, while the Threadripper 2970WX is at the 62nd percentile. Despite the Threadripper winning every head-to-head test, its aggregate percentile is one point lower.

Q: Are both processors based on the same architecture?

A: Yes, both use the Zen+ architecture and a 12 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. The Ryzen 3 uses the Picasso codename, and the Threadripper uses the Colfax codename, but the underlying architecture is identical.