AMD’s Ryzen Threadrippers Promise High-End CPU Power—for a Price

In May, AMD announced new processors that it said would dramatically improve computer functionality and ultimately put it ahead of its archrival Intel. And on July 13, the company provided more details on those processors, called Ryzen Threadrippers. The first is the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X and is the most powerful processor AMD plans to release this year. The chip, which will cost $999, will have 16 cores. It will be flanked by the 12-core Ryzen Threadripper 1920X, which will cost $799. According to AMD, both processors will be ideal choices for consumers, power users and enterprise PC buyers. But look for Intel to respond to AMD’s bid for CPU Power supremacy. Read on to learn more about AMD’s upcoming Ryzen Threadrippers.

While there are a number of AMD Ryzen processors available this year, there are just two Ryzen Threadripper models: The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X and the Ryzen Threadripper 1920X. They’re distinguished by their power—and their prices.

The Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is the most powerful AMD processor this year. The chip has 16 cores and 32 threads and has a base clock speed of 3.4GHz that can be boosted to 4.0GHz.

The Threadripper 1920X might not be as powerful as the 1950X, but it’s still worthy. The chip has 12 cores and 24 threads and has a 3.5GHz base clock speed that similarly can be boosted to 4.0GHz. It’s less powerful than the 1950X but also less expensive.

In a nod to enthusiasts and gamers, AMD noted the Threadripper chips will be available unlocked. That means those who know how to enhance processor performance can overclock the chips to boost their power at will.

Since AMD is in both the processing and graphics business, it’s perhaps no surprise the Threadripper chips are designed to enhance graphics performance. According to AMD, both chips have 64 lanes of PCIe and support up to four graphics chips. Wow.

Their power and resource-intensiveness make the the AMD Threadripper processors suitable for high-end, high-priced consumer desktops. They might also be used in the corporate world for graphics-heavy tasks such as video encoding. PC vendors will use them in their machines, and enthusiasts can buy them separately to soup up their own computers.

The AMD Threadrippers compete against Intel’s recently announced Core i9 line of processors. In a statement, AMD said both the 1950X and 1920X will be able to outperform the Intel Core i9 7900X chip “by a wide margin.” However, the Intel Core i9 7980XE Extreme Edition, which has 18 cores and 36 threads, is technically more powerful than either AMD chip.

How much will the AMD Threadripper chips cost customers? According to AMD, the Ryzen Threadripper 1950X will be priced at $999. The lower-powered Ryzen Threadripper 1920X will retail for $799.

AMD isn’t wasting any time releasing the Ryzen Threadrippers. In a statement, the company said the chips, along with motherboards that support them, will be available in early August. PC vendors, including Dell’s Alienware brand, plan to include them in computers scheduled to hit the market in the second half of 2017.

Those who don’t want to pay so much for a new processor could consider the other chips in AMD’s Ryzen lineup. Those chips include the higher-end Ryzen 7 and the midrange Ryzen 5. A cheaper and more efficient Ryzen 3 is also available. Pricing varies depending on the version.