AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X vs Intel Core i7-1250U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a stark contrast between these two processors. Out of the eight head-to-head comparisons recorded in the database, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X claims seven decisive victories, while the Intel Core i7-1250U manages a single, albeit notable, win.

Starting with multi-core performance, the disparity is enormous. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Threadripper 3990X scores 68,124 compared to the i7-1250U's 7,069. That is a delta of -89.6%, meaning the AMD part is roughly nine times faster in this heavily threaded workload. The pattern continues in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Threadripper scores 28,612 against the Intel's 3,983, a -86.1% difference. Even in Cinebench R15 multi-core, the older test, the AMD chip posts 6,866 versus 1,172.94, a -82.9% gap. Geekbench multi-core shows a slightly smaller but still massive -72.4% delta, with scores of 20,912 for AMD and 5,777 for Intel.

Single-core results are equally lopsided, but with an interesting twist. The Threadripper 3990X wins Cinebench R23 single-core with 9,617 points against 1,574, a -83.6% difference. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 4,039 versus 562, again a -86.1% delta. The R15 single-core test shows 969 versus 226, a -76.7% gap. However, in Geekbench single-core, the Intel Core i7-1250U takes the win with 1,661 points against AMD's 1,472. That is a +12.8% advantage for Intel, the only benchmark in the head-to-head set where the mobile chip leads.

What do these numbers mean in context? The Threadripper's multi-core dominance is expected given its 64-core design, but the sheer scale of the victory is worth emphasizing. A -89.6% delta in Cinebench R23 is not a marginal difference; it represents a completely different performance class. The single-core wins for AMD are more surprising, as the Threadripper's 4.30 GHz boost clock outpaces the i7-1250U's 4.70 GHz boost in several tests, yet the gap in AMD's favor remains substantial. The Intel chip's Geekbench single-core win suggests its architecture handles that specific workload more efficiently, but it stands alone against the broader trend.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X wins seven of the eight recorded head-to-head comparisons. The Intel Core i7-1250U wins only one, the Geekbench single-core test.

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

A: In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Threadripper 3990X scores 68,124 while the i7-1250U scores 7,069, a -89.6% delta. Similar gaps appear in Cinebench R20 multi-core (-86.1%) and Geekbench multi-core (-72.4%).

Q: Does the Intel chip win any single-core tests?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-1250U wins Geekbench single-core with 1,661 points versus 1,472 for the Threadripper, a +12.8% advantage. However, AMD wins Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 single-core tests by wide margins.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-1250U has an average benchmark score of 13,351, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X averages 12,786. Both sit at the 68th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: How do these chips compare to their nearest rivals?

A: The i7-1250U is within 0.5% of the Intel Core i7-7700K (13,291) and 0.7% behind the Intel Core i5-9500 (13,452). The Threadripper 3990X sits essentially level with the Intel Core i3-1210U (12,795) and 0.2% ahead of the Intel Core i5-8400 (12,765).

Q: Which processor has higher single-thread performance in PassMark?

A: The Intel Core i7-1250U records a PassMark single-thread score of 2,703. The Threadripper 3990X does not have a PassMark single-thread score in the database, so no direct comparison is available for that specific test.

Where Each One Wins

The use case split is clear from the data. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X is the choice for any workload that scales with core count. Its 64 cores and 128 threads deliver crushing multi-core performance, as evidenced by the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 68,124. Content creation, 3D rendering, video encoding, and scientific computing all fall into this category. The -89.6% delta over the i7-1250U in that test means tasks that take hours on the Intel chip could finish in minutes on the Threadripper.

The Intel Core i7-1250U's sole head-to-head victory, Geekbench single-core with a +12.8% margin, points to its strength in lightly threaded, latency-sensitive applications. Yet even this advantage is narrow in the broader context. The Threadripper actually wins the other three single-core benchmarks in the head-to-head set, often by very large margins. The i7-1250U's PassMark data shows a single-thread score of 2,703 and a multithread score of 11,329, which are respectable for a mobile chip, but they do not approach the Threadripper's multi-core results.

For mobility, the i7-1250U is the only realistic option between the two. Its 9 W TDP and mobile market segment make it suitable for thin laptops, whereas the Threadripper 3990X is a desktop part with a 280 W TDP. The database lists no integrated graphics for the AMD chip, while the Intel part includes Iris Xe 96EU graphics, which matters for systems without a discrete GPU.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two processors diverge on nearly every major field. The Intel Core i7-1250U has 10 cores and 12 threads, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X has 64 cores and 128 threads. Base clocks are 1.10 GHz for Intel and 2.90 GHz for AMD, with boost clocks of 4.70 GHz and 4.30 GHz respectively.

Thermal design power differs wildly: the i7-1250U draws 9 W, while the Threadripper 3990X is rated at 280 W. Sockets are incompatible, with Intel using BGA 1781 and AMD using TRX4. Memory support also differs: Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5 in a dual-channel configuration, while AMD supports DDR4 in a quad-channel configuration with a recorded memory bandwidth of 102.4 GB/s. The Intel chip supports PCIe Gen 4, while the AMD part supports PCIe Gen 4 with 64 lanes from the CPU.

The Threadripper 3990X has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the i7-1250U is locked. The AMD chip is part of the 3000 series and carries the part number 100-000000163100-100000163WOF. Its launch MSRP is $3990, stated once here for reference. The Intel chip's launch MSRP is not recorded in the database.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is substantial. The Intel Core i7-1250U is built on Alder Lake, specifically the Alder Lake-U codename, using a 10 nm process from Intel's own foundry. It is a mobile-focused design from the Core i7 (Alder Lake-U) generation, released on 2022-02-22.

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Castle Peak, built on a 7 nm process at TSMC. It belongs to the Ryzen Threadripper (Zen 2 (Castle Peak)) generation and was released on 2020-02-06. The AMD chip integrates 30,400 million transistors across a die size of 8x 74 mm², figures that are not recorded for the Intel part.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The i7-1250U has 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and 12 MB of shared L3 cache. The Threadripper 3990X has 64 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and a much larger 256 MB of L3 cache. Neither chip supports ECC memory according to the database.

The Intel chip includes integrated Iris Xe 96EU graphics, while the AMD chip has no integrated graphics listed. The i7-1250U also supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, whereas the Threadripper 3990X is limited to DDR4. These architectural differences explain the performance profiles: the Threadripper's massive core count and large L3 cache feed its multi-core dominance, while the i7-1250U's newer process node and mobile design target efficiency and integrated graphics capability.