Cinema 4D: AMD Threadripper PRO 7000 WX-Series vs Intel Xeon W-3400

Introduction

With their “7000” series of processors, AMD is once again splitting their high core-count CPUs into two separate product families: the High-End Desktop (HEDT) AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Series, and the even higher tier AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX-Series processors. Both are based on AMD’s Zen 4 architecture, which means they now support new technologies like PCI-e Gen 5.0 and DDR5 memory, but the “PRO” line includes twice the number of memory lanes (8 channel vs 4 channel) and more than twice the number of PCIe Gen5 lanes (128 vs 48). In addition, the higher line also includes a 96-core processor for those workloads that benefit from having a massive number of CPU cores.

We recently reviewed the Threadripper 7000 line, comparing them to the equivalent Intel Xeon W-3400 processors, and found that the new Threadripper processors placed AMD in the lead over Intel in every single content creation workload we tested. Today, we are going bump it up a notch, and do the same testing with the AMD Threadripper PRO 7000 WX-Series.

We will note that in many of these workloads, the benefits of the PRO series are not as applicable as you may expect. The extra PCI-e lanes are only a benefit if you plan to use more than three GPUs (or other x16 PCIe devices), and even then will often only have a minimal impact. This is partly because using more than three GPUs in a desktop is very difficult given the power draw of modern GPUs, but also because the performance penalty of running a GPU at x8 speeds instead of x16 is often minimal. Similarly, the additional memory channels are mostly beneficial in memory-bound workflows, which most content creation applications are not.

With that explained, we have a dedicated AMD Threadripper 7000 vs AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX for Content Creation article if you want to see exactly where (and by how much) it may make sense to invest in the PRO line. But in this article, we want to focus on the performance of the Threadripper PRO 7000 WX-Series compared to the previous generation Threadripper PRO 5000WX and the Intel Xeon W-2400/3400 line. In addition to Threadripper PRO and Xeon, we will also include the Intel Core 14900K to provide some context for how AMD Threadripper PRO compares to a more typical CPU choice for those working in Cinema 4D, but don’t do much rendering.

Because there are so many CPUs to examine, we will break our analysis down into Intel vs AMD (AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX vs Intel Xeon W-3400) and performance versus the previous generation (AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX vs AMD Threadripper PRO 5000WX)

To learn more about how the new AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000 WX-Series processors perform in other workflows, we have compiled an overview in our AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7000WX Content Creation Review article. That post also includes more detailed information on the CPU specifications and test results for various applications: Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, DaVinci Resolve, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Unreal Engine, Blender, and V-Ray.

AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX vs Intel Xeon W-3400 for Cinema 4D

CPU-based rendering highly favors CPUs with high core counts. Xeon, Threadripper, and Epyc are the go-to choices for any render farm or those building a workstation. However, there is more to consider than just the number of cores. Clock speed, IPC, and RAM speeds all play a part in how well a CPU performs in this task. While most C4D and Redshift users default to GPU for rendering due to its much faster performance, some still rely on CPU due to the limited memory available on video cards or, in the case of C4D, if they don’t have an active Redshift license. Despite the incredible rendering speeds of GPUs, if your project can’t fit into the VRAM then you’ll still need to render on the CPU.

Starting with the new 96-core Threadripper PRO CPU, the 7995WX, there just isn’t any comparison as it scores double that of the top Intel CPU. Keep in mind that it is nearly double the cost as well. The more interesting comparison is with the 64-core Threadripper Pro 7985WX. While the 7995WX has 50% more cores, it is only 12% faster. Scaling with more cores is never linear, but this is much lower than we saw in all the other rendering packages tested like V-Ray and Blender. This may be a limitation of this new version of Cinebench 2024 and its move to Redshift.

The 64-core 7985WX is a closer match-up to the Intel 56-core w9-3495X, where the Threadripper scores 78% higher. While it is also more expensive, roughly 25% more, that extra cost brings even more performance for the money. 

The 32-core Threadripper 7975WX is price comparable to the Xeon w9-3475X, though the Xeon has 4 more cores. Not only did the Threadripper outperform the similarly priced Xeon by 45%, but it even beat the top-of-the-line 56-core w9-3495X. 

Moving down to the 24-core Threadripper 7965WX, it routinely outperformed the 24-core Xeon w7-2495, though it is roughly 20% more expensive. On average, it is around 40% faster, so that extra cost does give even greater performance.

AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX vs AMD Threadripper PRO 5000WX for Cinema 4D

When comparing the new AMD Threadripper 7000 CPUs to the previous generation, we must take into consideration the price increase we see across the board. The prices have gone up anywhere from 10-18%, just for the CPUs. For this article, we are only comparing based on CPU price and not factor in how the motherboard and RAM differences can also affect the final purchase price of a system.

Starting with the 64-core (since the 96-core did not have a similar CPU last generation), we see a 13% price increase, with 36% faster rendering performance. Meanwhile, the 32-core 7975WX scored 28% higher while being 18% more expensive than the 5975WX. Lastly, the 24-core 7965WX sees an improvement of 26% with a 10% increase in price.  

Overall, this is a great improvement over the previous generation. While prices did go up, the performance uplift is even greater. You are still getting more performance for your dollar.

How Well Do the AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX CPUs Perform in Cinema 4D?

Artists seeking the pinnacle of CPU rendering performance gravitate towards AMD’s Threadripper CPUs. The new Threadripper Pro 7000WX series reinforces that choice by providing rendering times that are consistently 30-46% faster than the previous generation. This performance leap is attributed to a combination of architectural improvements within the CPU and the adoption of faster DDR5.

The Threadripper PRO 7000WX CPUs consistently outshine their Intel Xeon counterparts, providing superior performance across various scenarios. Despite the higher upfront cost, the investment in Threadripper PRO 7000WX models translates into a substantial boost in rendering capabilities. Noteworthy instances arise where the midrange 32-core Threadripper 7975WX outperforms the top-of-the-line 56-core Intel Xeon w9-3495X, showcasing the Threadripper’s prowess in delivering exceptional rendering performance.

For many users, the only real comparison to the Threadripper Pro 7000WX CPUs will be the non-pro Threadripper 7000 Series. Many Cinema4D users won’t need the extra PCIe lanes if they aren’t doing GPU rendering, 8-channel memory, or other platform features. Check out our AMD Threadripper 7000 vs AMD Threadripper PRO 7000WX for Content Creation article to see how these CPUs and their platforms compare. 

Every application uniquely utilizes hardware, so our results here don’t necessarily translate to any other application. Our focus in this article centers specifically on Threadripper PRO 7000WX’s performance in Blender. However, we recommend checking out our AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Content Creation Review article, which includes a broad overview of results for several different applications. If you use other software packages, it also has links to our in-depth testing articles for content creation: Photoshop, Lightroom Classic, After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, Blender, Unreal Engine, and V-Ray.

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