AMD Ryzen 9 Threadripper Enthusiast CPU Lineup Capped By 4.1GHz, 16-Core/32-Thread Beast

While Ryzen put AMD back on the map in the high-end consumer sector, it is only the beginning of the company's long awaited comeback tour. Looking ahead, AMD is rumored to be readying a Ryzen 9 series comprised of at least nine different SKUs spanning 10-core, 12-core, 14-core, and 16-core processor options, each one with quad-channel DDR4 memory support.

The full lineup is related to previous rumors outlining AMD's plans to launch a new SP3r2 socket with 4,094 pins as part of its Whitehaven platform. It is a variant of the SP3 socket for AMD's forthcoming server-oriented Naples processors. While the pin count is the same between the two, the thermal characteristics are different. Furthermore, SP3r2 will support just one processor, while SP3 will have dual sockets for running two Naples processors on the same motherboard.


While likely to be marketed and sold as Ryzen 9 processors, AMD's enthusiast chips are also referred to as Threadripper CPUs, a fitting name considering Ryzen's stellar multi-threading performance.

• Starting at the bottom, there will be two 10-core parts with 20 threads, including the Ryzen 9 1955 clocked at 3.1GHz (base) to 3.7GHz (boost) and Ryzen 9 1955x clocked at 3.6GHz to 4GHz. Both will have a max TPD of 125W.

• There will also be two 12-core CPUs, both with 24 threads and also with a max TPD of 125W. These will consist of the Ryzen 9 1956 clocked at 3GHz to 3.7GHz, and the Ryzen 9 1956X clocked at 3.2GHz to 3.8GHz.
  
  
• Next up are three 14-core/28-thread chips starting with the Ryzen 9 1976X clocked at 3.6GHz to 4.1GHz with a 140W TPD. Just above that is the Ryzen 9 1977 clocked at 3.2GHz to 3.7GHz, also with a 140W TPD. And finally there is the Ryzen 9 1977X clocked at 3.5GHz to 4GHz, but with a 155W TDP.
  
  
• That leaves us with two 16-core/32-thread beasts. The first is the Ryzen 9 1998. It will come clocked at 3.2GHz to 3.6GHz and have a 155W TDP, and the second is the Ryzen 9 1998X clocked at 3.5GHz to 3.9GHz, also with a 155W TDP.

All of these processors are said to support 44 PCIe lanes. If that turns out to be true, it would be a big advantage for AMD, as Intel typically reserves the most PCIe lanes for only its top (and most expensive) enthusiasts SKUs. That is rumored to again be the case with Intel's forthcoming Core i9 lineup consisting of two SKUs supporting 44 PCIe lanes and two others supporting just 28 PCIe lanes.