With the launch of the Ryzen series stabilized, AMD is preparing for the arrival of the new Threadripper processors, aimed at enthusiasts seeking extreme performance in their desktop systems. Sunnyvale has confirmed two models so far, with 16 and 12 cores respectively. The official information cuts short rumors about an $850 cost, but even so AMD manages to offer very competitive prices against Intel's alternatives.
We are going through one of the best moments to assemble a computer. On the more budget-friendly end we have excellent chips like the Pentium G4560 (as long as we find it in stores), while on the other side we see great options in the Ryzen series, and Intel's new Core X series. However, AMD is about to launch its Threadripper platform, which essentially joins two Ryzen processors under the same silicon. The great promise of Threadripper is to place 16 cores on our desktops at a reasonable price. If we consider that to reproduce that same configuration with Intel hardware we need $1,700, enthusiasts interested in a more favorable price-performance balance are many.
Threadripper 1950X and 1920X: Specs and Prices
First, AMD confirmed that its new series will debut with two processors: Threadripper 1950X and Threadripper 1920X. The common points are a Turbo mode of 4 GHz, 32 MB of L3 cache, 64 PCI Express 3.0 lanes (60 + 4 reserved for the X399 chipset), quad-channel DDR4, and a TDP of 180 watts. The Threadripper 1950X delivers 16 cores and 32 processing threads at a base of 3.4 GHz, while the 1920X drops to 12 cores and 24 threads, starting from 3.5 GHz. The official price for the Threadripper 1950X is $999, a bit above the $850 that had been speculated, but the 1920X will arrive on shelves with $799 on the label. AMD said both chips will be available starting in August.
Ryzen 3: More Details
Second, there are extra details about Ryzen 3. These processors are expected by those users who want to enter the AM4 platform without dropping to the Bristol Ridge models with the "old" Excavator architecture. For now we only have two Ryzen 3, the 1300X and the 1200. Both will offer four cores with the same number of threads, and an 8 MB L3 cache. The Ryzen 3 1300X has a frequency of 3.5/3.7 GHz, and the 1200 of 3.1/3.4 GHz. We still don't know the TDP or the price, but they should be below $150.
