64-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X becomes fastest desktop CPU on PassMark

Unsurprisingly, AMD has seemingly once again delivered with its somewhat borderline legendary Threadripper line. It was not long ago that Team Red actually officially introduced the Ryzen Threadripper 9000 series, with availability of the newest high-end desktop (HEDT) chips starting in July 2025. July has now arrived, and an early specimen has appeared on the popular PassMark benchmark. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X amassed a score of 147,481 in the multithread test, leaving it as the fastest desktop processor out of 1,450 tested.

Multithreaded testing has always been a strength for AMD and its Ryzen processors, and the Threadripper 9980X can call on its 64 cores and 128 threads to help it fly through the CPU Mark test suite. Clock rates are officially 3.2 GHz (base) and 5.4 GHz (boost), with a hefty 256 MB L3 cache to help speed up system performance. The PassMark benchmark site records the typical TDP at 350 W, and it points out that there is a high margin for error due to this being the first of this specific enthusiast-level Shimada Peak Threadripper to appear so far.

In terms of generational improvement, the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a descendent of the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X (available on Amazon), which appeared in 2023 and also boasted of having 64 cores. The latter CPU has a multithread score of 136,517 on PassMark based on 74 samples, so the Zen 5-based part has an acceptable +8.03% lead over its Zen 4-based predecessor. Due to the lack of competition in this niche, Team Red possibly believes that astonishing uplifts from one generation to the next are not really necessary here.