AMD Launches The Ryzen Threadripper PRO For Workstations

Building off last year's successful Ryzen Threadripper 3000 series and the Ryzen Threadripper 3990X that launched back in February, today AMD is announcing the Zen 2 based Ryzen Threadripper PRO processors targeted for workstation usage.

These new Ryzen Threadripper PRO processors are similar to the Ryzen Threadripper 3000 series but are catering to workstation/professional use-cases with "AMD PRO" Security / Manageability / Business Ready solutions. Like the Threadripper 3990X, the Threadripper PRO line-up tops out at 64-cores / 128 threads with the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3995WX while if high frequency performance is more important the line-up also extends to a 12-core, 4.0GHz part (4.0GHz base frequency, 4.3GHz boost) with the Threadripper PRO 3945WX. There is also the Threadripper PRO 3955WX as a 16c/32t 3.9/4.3GHz part and the Threadripper PRO 3975WX 32c/64t 3.5/4.2GHz processor as well.

Another benefit of the Threadripper PRO series and putting it more in line with the EPYC parts are these new PRO CPUs sporting 8 x DDR4-3200 memory channels rather than quad channel with the existing non-PRO Threadripper processors. The Threadripper PRO CPUs still have 128 lanes of PCI Express 4.0. But unlike EPYC, the Ryzen Threadripper PRO processors remain only available in single socket configurations. All of these Threadripper PRO processors have a 280 Watt TDP and support up to 2TB of ECC UDIMM/RDIMM/LRDIMM memory.

For the most part the Ryzen Threadripper PRO series aims to compete with the Intel Xeon W line-up but for the top-end Threadripper PRO 3995WX it can go up against Intel's flagship non-AP dual Xeon Platinum 8280 processors, which isn't much of a surprise as our own benchmarks have shown the Threadripper 3990X being able to outperform the Xeon Platinum 8280 in a dual socket configuration with most workloads. With support for eight channels rather than four with the 3990X, the performance battle should be even more fierce against the Cascade Lake parts.

In the press briefings AMD talked up the performance of Threadipper PRO in various Windows workloads from 3D modeling to design and other workloads. Unfortunately, no Linux numbers were provided. We also haven't been seeded with any Threadripper PRO systems so unfortunately there are no Linux tests to share at this stage.

The Threadripper PRO processors will begin appearing in workstations from the likes of Lenovo with their new ThinkStation P620 as the launch partner for these new workstation processors positioned now between Threadripper and EPYC. At least initially the Threadripper PRO processors will just be appearing in workstations with no immediate plans to offer these CPUs individually. The Threadripper PRO processors also are not drop-in capable of existing TRX40 motherboards but utilize a new WRX80 socket.