The Threadripper 3000 series had no issues with 4K60 footage from the older GH5, but when we upgraded to the GH6 we wanted to start working with 5.7K60, and this proved troublesome. Of course, we could use proxies but they are a pain for editing, taking a lot more time, and overall just a more cumbersome method than we prefer.

Earlier this year AMD announced the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5000 WX series but initially was limited to Lenovo workstations. Earlier this summer it was then announced the Threadripper PRO 5000 WX series would be heading to more system integrators and then the DIY market. Well, finally, these Zen 3 Threadripper chips are heading out to the DYI market and today the review embargo lifts. AMD recently sent over a Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX for my Linux testing at Phoronix and here is my initial review and performance benchmarks for this Zen 3 24-core / 48-thread HEDT chip. If you're wondering why the 'Pro' models cost so much more, it's because they're legitimately more workstation oriented. For example, you get twice as many PCIe lanes from the CPU, 128 versus 64 while the current AM4 desktop parts have 24 in total, 16 for the primary PCIe slot, 4 four the primary M.2 and then 4 connecting the chipset.Types, maximum amount and channel number of RAM supported by Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX's memory controller. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequency may be supported. Supported memory types

The Hitman 3 results are a bit more typical, where the 5995WX was slightly slower than the 5950X, a mere 3% decline in performance which meant it was still 18% faster than the older 3990X.

Recommended GPUs

For this review we used the be quiet! Silent Loop 2 360mm AIO with the be quiet! STRX4 mounting kit. Like most AIO's the Silent Loop 2 isn't purpose built for the massive Threadripper CPUs, instead it was designed with LGA1200/1700 and AM4 processors in mind. So it doesn't exactly cover the entire heatspreader of a Threadripper processor, but it gets most of it.

Simultaneously, AMD is also introducing the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Series processors, returning to the HEDT environment for the first time since 2020. Maintaining AMD’s high standard for creative and professional users, the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X processor offers the most computing power possible in an enthusiast desktop, 1 with exceptional multi-threaded performance for users who demand the best. These processors, also built with the AMD “Zen 4” architecture and offering up to 48 PCIe® 5.0 lanes available to desktop users, feature up to 64 cores and 128 threads for an unprecedented level of performance and efficiency. Threadripper Pro has 128 PCIe 4.0 lanes (the CPU exposes 120 lanes to the user) compared to Intel's 64 lanes, an advantage because most workstations have plenty of additives, like GPU accelerators, NVMe storage, and high-speed NICs. But there's a problem for enthusiasts — Intel abandoned the consumer-oriented high end desktop (HEDT) market after its crushing defeat three years ago, and now that AMD is the only game in town for HEDT chips, it's also dropping the segment. Dell Precision workstations provide the performance and reliability that professionals need to support intensive workloads, drive innovation and fuel creativity,” said Meghana Patwardhan, vice president, Commercial Client Products, Dell Technologies. “With the growth of AI and generative AI, Dell Precision workstations are vital tools for businesses to run complex AI workloads locally, including inferencing and large language models. Working closely with AMD, we’re expanding our portfolio of AI-ready workstations with the addition of the Precision 7875 Tower, equipped with the utmost scalability and power for demanding applications.”Another rendering benchmark is V-Ray and here the 5995WX was 15% faster than the 3990X, so not a huge performance gain, but about what we've come to expect for this sort of workload. Threadripper Pro chips come with the 'WX' suffix to denote they are designed for the workstation market. AMD didn't introduce more cores with the two top-end models, but they're faster due to the step up from the Zen 2 architecture to Zen 3.

Time for a few gaming benchmarks, just because you might also want to game on your workstation, rather than use an entirely separate system for that. The 5995WX is impressive in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, delivering slightly more performance than the 5950X and we have seen this in the past. The 3990X was faster than the 3950X, for example.

Which AMD Threadripper™ Platform is Right For My Needs?

For code compilation work the 5995WX doesn't appear all that much faster than the 3990X which makes sense as the 5950X was only slightly faster than the 3950X. So for this sort of workload the more expensive Zen 3-based Threadripper processors probably aren't worth the premium. If you're familiar with the Threadripper 3000 processors, then this new 5000 series won't offer any surprises, it's basically the same deal. The layout is much the same and the power consumption is much the same, therefore the cooling requirements are about equal.