AMD Unveils 96-Core Threadripper 9000 Series to Challenge Intel

AMD has launched its latest Ryzen Threadripper 9000 Series CPUs, based on the Zen 5 architecture, targeting the high-end workstation market. These processors are designed to meet the needs of professionals working in demanding fields such as visual effects, simulations, and AI model development.

The flagship model, the Threadripper Pro 9995WX, features an unprecedented 96 cores and 192 threads, along with up to 384MB of L3 cache and 128 lanes of PCIe Gen 5. This configuration makes it ideal for multi-GPU setups and intensive parallel processing workloads.

AMD claims that the 9995WX outperforms Intel’s 60-core Xeon W9-3595X by 2.2 times in Cinebench 2024 multi-threaded rendering benchmarks, highlighting its superior performance in professional workloads.

For users who do not require the full 96-core power, the Threadripper 9000 Series also includes the 9980X model with 64 cores and 128 threads, a base frequency of 3.2GHz, and 320MB of L3 cache, offering workstation-level performance for enthusiasts and creators.

All new Threadripper CPUs maintain a thermal design power (TDP) of 350 watts and are compatible with existing sTR5 socket motherboards following a BIOS update, ensuring easier adoption for current users.

Availability for both the Threadripper 9000 Series and the Pro WX-Series is expected in July, with pricing details to be announced. Given previous pricing trends, these high-performance CPUs are anticipated to be positioned in the premium segment, reflecting their advanced capabilities.

Implications for Developers and Workstation Users

The introduction of AMD’s Threadripper 9000 Series represents a significant leap in workstation CPU performance, particularly for tasks that benefit from high core counts and multi-threading. This includes AI model training, 3D rendering, scientific simulations, and complex data processing.

With extensive PCIe Gen 5 lanes, these CPUs facilitate advanced multi-GPU configurations, enabling accelerated compute performance for AI workloads and rendering pipelines. This capability is crucial as industries increasingly rely on parallel processing to handle large datasets and complex models.

For software developers and system architects, the Threadripper 9000 Series offers a platform to build and optimize high-performance applications that leverage massive parallelism. This can lead to reduced processing times and enhanced productivity in development cycles.

Overall, AMD’s new Threadripper lineup intensifies competition in the workstation CPU market, pushing innovation and performance boundaries that benefit professionals and creators across multiple industries.