Once again, AMD's Ryzen 9 3950X 16 core mainstream and Intel's Core i9-10980XE 18 core high-end desktop CPUs have been benchmarked against each other in Geekbench. Both CPUs, aimed at the enthusiasts and gamers alike, feature massive core count under $1000 US and are scheduled for launch later this month.

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 16 Core vs Intel Core i9-10980XE 18 Core Processor Benchmarks Leak Out - AMD's Mainstream Enough To Tackle Intel's HEDT

AMD officially introduced the Ryzen 9 3950X 16 core mainstream flagship processor yesterday. The processor was launched alongside the 3rd Generation Ryzen Threadripper lineup which will aim at the HEDT market. The 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper lineup initially features 24 core & 32 core CPUs but is expected to go up to 64 cores in January 2020 with the release of the flagship Threadripper 3990X.

In the meanwhile, AMD has well-positioned their flagship mainstream, the Ryzen 9 3950X to take on Intel's flagship X299 HEDT CPU, the Core i9-10980XE. In fact, AMD's mainstream lineup such as the Ryzen 9 3900X 12 core and Ryzen 9 3950X 16 core offer absolutely amazing value compared to Intel's 10th Gen X-series parts. Not only do the X-series parts come in at a higher price point but the cost of the X299 platform alone is a huge factor. AMD's mainstream platform features dual-channel memory support and you can find various X570 motherboards around $150 US.

The same can not be said for the X299 platform which features Quad-channel memory support and the boards designed to support the new 10th Generation chips cost north of $250 US. The cooling requirement for both the Ryzen 9 3950X and Intel Core i9-10980XE is similar since AMD recommends using a top-end liquid cooler with their chip. The HEDT Intel chips also require very high-end liquid cooling to run at optimal boost clocks. With that said, let's take a quick look at the specifications of both chips before moving on to the benchmarks.

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X 16 Core CPU Specifications

In terms of specifications, the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X will feature the 7nm Zen 2 core architecture. There will be three chiplets on the Ryzen 9 interposer which include two Zen 2 dies and a single I/O die which is based on a 14nm process node. The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X will be fully enabled, offering 16 cores and 32 threads. This core configuration has never been available on mainstream platforms such as AM4. Even the 12 core, 24 thread Ryzen 9 3900X configuration wasn't seen on mainstream platforms until AMD launched it, bringing high core counts, that used to be HEDT exclusive, down to mainstream users.

In terms of clock speeds, the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X runs at a base frequency of 3.5 GHz and boosts to a blisteringly fast 4.7 GHz which is the highest for AMD’s Ryzen 3000 series processor. The chip will feature 72 MB of total cache and just like the other Ryzen 9 parts, feature a TDP of 105W. The TDP is based on the base frequency numbers so it will actually be higher when the chip boosts or is manually overclocked by users. When it comes to overclocking, we also know that like all other Ryzen CPUs, the Ryzen 9 3950X will feature a soldered design that should help deliver better thermals than TIM. The processor is scheduled for launch on the 25th of November for a price of $749 US.

AMD Ryzen 3000 Series CPU Lineup