AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is a 2000-series desktop processor with 32 cores and 64 threads, built on the Zen+ (Colfax) architecture and manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 12 nm process. It runs at a 3.00 GHz base clock and a 4.20 GHz boost clock, carries a 250 W TDP, and has an average benchmark score of 7041, placing it at the 67th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals are extremely close in composite score, with deltas ranging from -0.8% to 0.5%.

How It Compares

Against the Intel Core i9-7980XE, the Threadripper 2990WX records an average score of 7041 versus 7058, a delta of -0.2%. That is effectively a tie in aggregate performance; the two processors sit on opposite sides of a rounding-level gap, and neither has a meaningful composite advantage.

Against the Intel Pentium Gold G6400, the 2990WX is ahead by 0.3%, scoring 7041 versus 7019. Despite the enormous thread-count difference between these two processors, the database’s average score treats them as nearly identical, which shows how much weight single-thread performance carries in this composite metric.

Against the Intel Core i9-9960X, the 2990WX is ahead by 0.5%, with 7041 versus 7003. The margin is small, but it places the Threadripper on the positive side of the comparison and indicates that the 2990WX holds its own against a high-end desktop rival in the aggregate.

Against the AMD EPYC 7302P, the 2990WX trails by 0.8%, scoring 7041 versus 7100. This is the largest deficit among the nearest rivals, but 0.8% is still a narrow gap, and the two processors remain in the same general performance tier in this database.

Power and Thermals

The 2990WX carries a 250 W TDP, which places it in a high-power desktop class. That is a central thermal specification: any platform built around this processor must handle the heat output of 32 cores operating under load. The processor uses four 213 mm² dies, and the total transistor count is 19,200 million, so the thermal density is substantial for a desktop part.

The 12 nm process and the gap between the 3.00 GHz base clock and the 4.20 GHz boost clock mean that sustained all-core workloads will push the cooling solution harder than lightly threaded tasks. A capable high-end liquid cooler or a top-tier tower air cooler is the sane tier of cooling for this chip; small or low-profile coolers are not appropriate for this TDP class. The 250 W TDP alone signals that thermal design must be a primary consideration in any build.

Platform and Compatibility

The Threadripper 2990WX uses AMD Socket SP3r2, and its market segment is Desktop. It supports DDR4 memory over a quad-channel interface, with memory bandwidth rated at 93.9 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported. The PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 60 lanes available from the CPU, which provides substantial expansion headroom for multi-GPU setups, storage controllers, and other add-in devices.

The production status is Active, and the part number is YD299XAZUIHAF. The multiplier is unlocked, so frequency tuning is available on compatible SP3r2 platforms. The release date in the data is 2018-08-12. The launch MSRP was $1799. Upgrade and platform planning are defined by the SP3r2 socket: a motherboard must support that socket and the 2000-series Threadripper generation to run this processor.

FAQ

Q: How many cores and threads does the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX have?

A: It has 32 cores and 64 threads.

Q: What socket does it use?

A: It uses AMD Socket SP3r2.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: No, the data lists ECC memory as false.

Q: What is the TDP?

A: The TDP is 250 W.

Q: What memory configuration does it support?

A: It supports DDR4 memory over a quad-channel interface, with memory bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: Yes, the multiplier unlocked field is true.

Benchmark Performance

The average benchmark score of 7041 anchors the 2990WX at the 67th percentile among all CPUs in the database. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score is 2758 and the single-core score is 389. In Cinebench R20, the multi-core score is 11495 and the single-core score is 1622. In Cinebench R23, the multi-core score is 27370 and the single-core score is 3864. In Geekbench, the multi-core score is 7627 and the single-core score is 1199.

The composite comparison against nearest rivals is tight. The 2990WX is 0.2% behind the Intel Core i9-7980XE, 0.3% ahead of the Intel Pentium Gold G6400, 0.5% ahead of the Intel Core i9-9960X, and 0.8% behind the AMD EPYC 7302P. These are all sub-one-point deltas, meaning the composite average does not separate this processor from its nearest neighbors by much. The biggest single benchmark result is the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 27370, which reflects the processor’s core-heavy design far more clearly than the composite average.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The 2990WX shows a consistent pattern: every multi-core score dwarfs its single-core counterpart. In Cinebench R15, the multi-core score of 2758 compares to a single-core score of 389. In R20, the split is 11495 versus 1622. In R23, it is 27370 versus 3864. In Geekbench, the multi-core result of 7627 is well above the single-core result of 1199.

This split is the signature of a processor built for parallel throughput. Workloads that can spread work across all 64 threads will extract far more performance than workloads limited to one thread. The single-core scores are not weak in absolute terms, but they are clearly secondary to the multi-core capability. The 4.20 GHz boost clock helps lightly threaded tasks, while the 32 physical cores and 64 threads are what make the multi-core scores stand out. Real-world applications that scale well with thread count will see the largest benefit; applications that depend on one or two threads will leave most of the hardware idle.

Who Should Consider It

The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX is best suited for desktop users running heavily multithreaded workloads. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 27370 is a strong indicator for rendering, video encoding, software compilation, simulation, and other tasks that can use 64 threads. For those workloads, the 32-core design is the core selling point.

For gaming, the situation is different. The single-core scores of 1199 in Geekbench and 3864 in Cinebench R23 are far lower than the multi-core results, and most games do not scale to 64 threads. The 250 W TDP and the SP3r2 platform are also more than a typical gaming build needs. Gamers who want maximum single-thread performance should look at processors with stronger single-core results in this database.

For office productivity, the 3.00 GHz base clock and 4.20 GHz boost clock are workable, but the 64-thread capacity and quad-channel platform are overkill for typical office applications. The launch MSRP of $1799 underscores that this is a high-end desktop compute part, not a general-purpose office CPU. The best fit is a creator or professional user who can keep all 32 cores busy.