Threadripper 9000 Tested and Evaluated

Threadripper 9000 is here! AMD’s flagship workstation platform was released in July with IO and IPC along with all new architecture. Learn more about Threadripper Pro 9000 WX and 9000 HEDT here.

About Threadripper Pro 9000 WX‑Series

AMD has officially launched the Threadripper Pro 9000 WX‑Series, featuring Zen 5 architecture with up to 96 cores/192 threads in the flagship 9995WX. All SKUs share a 350 W TDP, boost clocks up to 5.4 GHz, and support 8‑channel DDR5‑6400 RDIMM (up to 2 TB) with up to 128 PCIe 5.0 lanes on AMD’s WRX90 chipset.

Performance-wise, AMD touts 16% IPC uplift over Threadripper Pro 7995WX which our own tests have replicated in many applications. Real-world performance gains include up to 2.4× faster V‑Ray rendering, 2.2× Keyshot, and +78% in Adobe After Effects workflows versus competitors. In AI inference tests (e.g. DeepSeek R1 32B), the new architecture delivers ~49% better throughput than comparable Intel Xeon solutions.

Additional SKUs include the 64‑core 9985WX, 32‑core 9975WX, 24‑core 9965WX, and 16‑core 9955WX.

About Threadripper 9000 HEDT

The consumer-oriented Threadripper 9000 (HEDT) line offers up to 64 Zen 5 cores (e.g. 9980X: 64C/128T), quad‑channel DDR5‑6400, up to 80 PCIe 5.0 lanes, and the same 350 W TDP and 5.4 GHz boost ceiling. SKUs include the 64‑core 9980X, 32‑core 9970X, and 24‑core 9960X.

Architecturally, HEDT Threadripper shares core design and clock features with its Pro siblings but lacks some key enterprise features: it’s limited to 4‑channel memory and 80 PCIe lanes, and is intended for enthusiasts, creators, and small‑scale developers who don’t need the full workstation feature set.

Benchmarks from AMD show the 9980X delivering up to +108% vs Intel Xeon W9‑3595X in compute-heavy workloads, and performance boosts of up to +83% in Cinebench R23 and +80 % in Adobe After Effects compared to older Threadripper or Xeon hardware.

Improvements over the 7000 Series vs 9000

Microarchitecture & Scheduling

• Zen 5’s branch predictor enables prediction of two branches per cycle (versus one), enhancing fetch throughput and branch-heavy throughput, a first for AMD’s Zen line.
• IPC uplift of ≈16% over Zen 4 in PRO chips; ~26% generational gains reported in PRO benchmarking vs previous generation Product 7995WX.
• Improved floating‑point execution and prefetch logic contribute to better deterministic scheduling in multi‑threaded and vector workloads.

IO and Memory

• Both lines support DDR5‑6400, doubling bandwidth vs previous-threadripper DDR5‑5200; Pro models offer 8‑channel up to 2 TB, HEDT quad‑channel up to 1 TB, though will be limited by the actual module size available.
• PCIe expansion: up to 128 lanes on Pro (WRX90), 80 lanes on HEDT (TRX50) — up from ~48 lanes in Threadripper 7000 generation, doubling data throughput for GPUs and NVMe devices.
• Full AVX‑512 support with a 512‑bit datapath across all models, boosting performance in compute‑heavy workloads like scientific simulation, AI and encoding.

Microcode/BIOS

• New BIOS/microcode enables compatibility of Threadripper 9000 and Pro chips on the same sTR5 socket, with proper feature enablement depending on chipset: WRX90 for full Pro functionality, TRX50 for HEDT and Pro with limited lanes/chains.
• Scheduling optimizations manage high-core-density in Pro variants (e.g. 96‑core) to minimize latency across chiplets.

Threadripper Pro 9000 WX vs Threadripper 9000 HEDT

Which Is Best for Me?

Go with Threadripper 9000 HEDT if you:

• Need extreme multi‑core performance (up to 64 cores) at lower cost.
• Work with rendering, software compilation, AI or video editing but don’t need massive ECC memory or full PCIe/ memory bandwidth.
• Want maximum performance per dollar (~5 K for the 9980X with ~256 MB cache, quad‑channel memory).

Choose Threadripper Pro 9000 WX if you:

• Require maximum core density and memory bandwidth, with up to 96 cores, 2 TB ECC memory, and 128 PCIe lanes.
• Require enterprise‑grade features: ECC memory support, AMD PRO security & manageability, stable platform for production environments.
• Run large‑scale AI inference/fine‑tuning locally, engineering simulation, generative design, or VFX workflows where extra memory channels and PCIe connectivity matter.
• Can justify the premium price for maximum performance and reliability.

Summary recommendation:

• If budget-sensitive but still demand high performance: the 9980X or 9970X HEDT is attractive.
• If you need the ultimate compute with full enterprise support: the 9995WX Pro is unmatched in 2025 in workstation CPUs.

Final Thoughts

With the Zen 5‑based Threadripper 9000 family, AMD bridges enthusiast and professional segment needs with scalable CPU options. The architectural improvements—branch predictor, AVX‑512, memory/IO—deliver measurable gains. HEDT variants offer impressive multi‑thread compute at strong value, while the Pro WX‑line unlocks full memory and PCIe potential, enterprise features, and unmatched parallel throughput for demanding professional workloads.

Whether you’re a power user comparing price/performance or a workstation buyer seeking enterprise resilience, the Threadripper 9000 series has something to offer. Get yours on our ProMagix HD150 now.

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Josh has been with Velocity Micro since 2007 in various Marketing, PR, and Sales related roles. As the Director of Sales & Marketing, he is responsible for all Direct and Retail sales as well as Marketing activities. He enjoys Seinfeld reruns, the Atlanta Braves, and Beatles songs written by John, Paul, or George. Sorry, Ringo.