AMD Threadripper vs. Threadripper Pro vs. Epyc: What’s the Difference?
Ryzen CPUs are all the rage these days, but if 16 cores somehow aren’t enough for you and you’re willing to pay more, AMD has other options on the table for you. If you want to go bigger, Threadripper or Epyc chips are the best options.
The differences between both lineups, though, can be occasionally confusing. After all, both use similar sockets. But in reality, they have different targets—and as a result, slightly different features.
What is the difference between Threadripper, Threadripper Pro, and Epyc?
Threadripper: A Pro User’s Best Tool
If Ryzen is for consumers, Threadripper (alsoknown as Ryzen Threadripper) is also for consumers, except for a different kind.
Threadripper is a CPU aimed at enthusiasts that need a CPU that can absolutely shred multi-core workloads. It’s positioned for the high-end desktop (HEDT) market, and while it’s not positioned specifically at workstations—more on that later—it is also a great fit for them.
The first Threadripper chips were launched in 2017, and since then, the lineup has met a few important milestones. With the Threadripper 2000 lineup, we got 32-core chips, and in 2019, with Threadripper 3000, that number doubled once again, and we got a 64-core, 128-thread CPU that’s still fairly unique for many tasks to this day.
Threadripper 3000 chips use the TRX40 socket. Their HEDT nature means that we also often see motherboards aimed at gaming PCs for them—they’re not the best fit for a gaming-only PC, but if you’re doing both heavy work and occasional gaming, you might as well get those RGB lights while you’re at it. They also support 64 PCI Express lanes and up to 256GB of quad-channel RAM. They also have a TDP of 280W, so they can get toasty.
The Threadripper lineup, notably, hasn’t seen a new entry since 2019, when Threadripper 3000 was introduced. Those are based on Zen 2, which is now an older architecture. Zen 3 Threadripper chips never actually graced the market (even though they were worked on), and we remain to see if we’ll see Zen 4 ones anytime soon.
Threadripper Pro: Powering the Best Workstations
As mentioned before, regular Threadripper chips aren’t exactly geared towards workstations. If you want to put together a workstation, you should look at the Threadripper Pro lineup instead.
The Threadripper Pro lineup was first introduced with the 3000 series, actually releasing a fair bit later than the standard Threadripper chips. It was refreshed with the 5000 series, and Zen 3, in 2022. They’re similar to the Threadripper lineup in performance and power consumption, but they come with a few added changes that make them a better fit for workstations.
For example, you have 128 PCI Express lanes instead of the 64 lanes in standard Threadripper chips. You can also put up to 2TB of octa-channel RAM if you go Pro, whereas the non-Pro chips only support up to 256GB of quad-channel RAM. They have an identical TDP, though, at 280W.
Threadripper Pro chips actually use a different socket than regular Threadripper chips, the sWRX8 socket. It looks identical to TRX40 but uses a different pin layout, so TRX40 chips won’t work on an sWRX8 socket and vice versa.
Epyc: Better for Servers
Enthusiasts had their moment, but what if you need a chip for an enterprise workstation? Well, for those, you go Epyc.
Epyc chips are very similar to Threadripper CPUs, except that they’reSoCs rather than bare CPUs. Motherboards don’t have a chipset or controllers, and the CPU is doing all the heavy lifting. Other than that, though, they have relatively similar silicon to Threadrippers, the same number of cores, and so on.
As for actual differences, an Epyc chip is more comparable to a Threadripper Pros in its feature set. They support 2TB of octa-channel memory and 128 PCI Express lanes. However, they’re a little more laid back in terms of the punch they provide. For example, they run at a notably lower clock speed than Threadripper, barely hitting above 3.0GHz. And likewise, their TDP is also often lower, although not always.
Epyc chips use yet another socket, SP3. This ensures these SoCs can only be used on server/enterprise motherboards instead of the motherboards you would use for a Threadripper (since, after all, they’re SoCs rather than only CPUs).
Threadripper CPUs are often based on Epyc designs since those normally launch first. As such, if you want to have a good guess as to where the Threadripper series is heading next, looking at the most recent Epyc launches can give you a clue on that.
Threadripper vs. Threadripper Pro vs. Epyc: Which Should You Buy?
It’ll depend on what you want or need. Something that we should clarify, yet again, is that there’s no need for most people to go Threadripper/Epyc. Regular Ryzen chips, like theRyzen 7000 lineup, should be plenty powerful for most people, even if you need a lot of cores—the Ryzen 9 7950X, for example, has 16 cores.
At the time of writing, AMD has yet to launch new, non-Pro Threadripper chips since 2019. Unless you’re okay with using Zen 2 in 2022 (which is still okay, but for a new chip, you probably have better options), we recommend the Threadripper Pro instead. It’s the sweet spot for most people and actually combines the best of Threadripper and Epyc into a single package.
If you’re using them in an enterprise context, though, you’d be much better off with Epyc. Sure, it might run a little slower, but in your context, you probably don’t need that extra speed. Plus, Epyc also has enterprise features you probably need.
Epyc for Servers, Threadripper for Everyone Else
Unless you need Epyc’s enterprise-only features or you’re setting up an AMD server, the way to go for most people is Threadripper. They run faster, and there are no downsides. If you have a HEDT/workstation and you need a lot of cores, it’s probably your best option.
While most folks will be okay with standard Ryzen chips, we understand why someone would need to go bigger, so definitely do your research.
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