AMD Ryzen 9 3900X vs Intel Core i9-7920X

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

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Ryzen 9 3900X compared with Core i9-7920X
AMDRyzen 9 3900XIntelCore i9-7920X
Overview
ReleasedJuly 2019September 2017
Cores and clocks
Cores1212
Threads2424
Base clock3.8 GHz2.9 GHz
Boost clock4.6 GHz (better)4.4 GHz
L3 cache64 MB (better)16.5 MB
CoresZen 2; Matisse; twelve cores with simultaneous multithreading. Two CPU chiplets with six active cores each and a separate I/O die (PCGamesN).Skylake-X; 12 cores with Hyper-Threading. The unlocked multiplier is confirmed by Intel’s exact-model family product brief.
ClocksUnlocked for overclocking; Precision Boost Overdrive with Automatic Overclocking supported, as described in AMD's launch notice.Turbo Boost Max 3.0 up to 4.40 GHz on the preferred core; ordinary Turbo Boost 2.0 up to 4.30 GHz. The main boost field uses Intel’s highest published frequency. Intel planned availability on 28 August 2017, but contemporary Tom’s Hardware reporting says retail availability followed roughly a week later. September precision reflects that actual-sale evidence rather than the earlier promised date; an exact first-sale day remains unverified.
Cache768 KB L1; 6 MB L2; 64 MB L3.16.5 MB Intel Smart Cache (L3).
Graphics and AI
Built-in graphicsNoNo
GraphicsNo integrated graphics; a separate graphics card is required.No processor graphics, explicitly stated in Intel’s exact-model comparison-chart row; a separate graphics solution is required.
Platform
SocketAM4LGA2066
Base power105 W140 W
UnlockedYesYes
Cooler in the boxYesNo
Memory supportDDR4; two channels; up to 3200 MT/s.Up to 128 GB; four channels of DDR4-2666; 85 GB/s maximum published bandwidth; no ECC.
PCIePCIe 4.0 x16; AMD introduced PCIe 4.0 support with the X570 platform at launch.44 CPU lanes; PCIe 3.0.
ChipsetsX570 at launch; check the motherboard's CPU support list and BIOS for other AM4 boards.Intel X299; LGA2066.
ProcessTSMC 7nm FinFET CPU cores; 14nm I/O die (PCGamesN).14 nm; Skylake-X.
CoolerRetail boxed processor includes an RGB cooler (PCGamesN; inclusion also confirmed by TechRadar); AMD's current support specification does not name a cooler. Maximum operating temperature 95°C.Intel explicitly excludes a fan and heatsink from the boxed product; a separate compatible cooler is required. Published junction limit: 95°C.

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