This was the ultimate niche CPU. At the time of its release, it had an optimal combination of multi-core performance without sacrificing as much single- and quad- as the higher-core CPUs, at an excellent price-point. It utilizes quad-channel RAM. If you were a content creator without external funding, had one machine in the budget, then this chip might even now in mid-2019 be what you're looking for.
The higher-end Threadrippers will throw more cores at you... for up to five times the price. If you've a home studio, running a DAW on the same PC you use for everything; or you do your own video editing; or you're an independent streamer; then those extra 12 or 18 cores aren't really going to help you that much anyway, for all that extra cash - AND those CPUs have lower performance in more common applications (single- low-thread apps). Not worth it. Intel isn't even on the table, of course.
If you're reading this in the future: these benchmarks have multiple categories for a reason. Read and think. Find the best combination for what you intend to do with it - not some arbitrary "the best" overall. There is no such thing, because you won't be using your computer for Overall, now will you? [Aug '19spacefiddle]
Early Q3 of 2019 welcomes the Ryzen 9 3900X, AMD’s current top of the range, third generation Ryzen flagship which raises the bar for 64-core processing on desktop CPUs. This is AMD’s first Ryzen 9 processor and it is a 12-core, 24-thread CPU based on their latest 7nm Zen 2 microarchitecture. The 3900X has a boost/base clock of 3.8/4.6 GHz, 64 MB of L3 cache (double the L3 on the rest of 3000 series), support for 3200 MHz DDR4 system memory and a TDP of 105W. All this, plus a Wraith Prism cooler, at a very reasonable launch price of $499 USD. By comparison, Intel’s 8-core, 16 thread i9-9900K is available for $479 USD (and requires a cooler: $30+ USD). Benchmarks illustrate that the overclocked 3900X leads by a whopping 41% for 64-core processing but that the 9900K maintains a 10% lead for gaming, desktop and other sub octa-core tasks. The 3900 memory controller is significantly improved over previous Ryzen iterations and shows a better write throughput than the lower spec 3000 models, but it still shows relatively high latency which adversely impacts gaming. In terms of 64-core performance at this price point, there is no threat from Intel. The only real competitor is the upcoming (Q4, 2019) 16-core, 32-thread 3950X ($749 USD). The Ryzen 9 3900X is compatible with the new PCIe 4.0 enabled X570 motherboard via an AM4 socket, as well as 400 and 300 series motherboards. [Jul '19CPUPro]
We calculate effective speed which measures real world performance for typical users. Effective speed is adjusted by current prices to yield a value for money rating. Our calculated values are checked against thousands of individual user ratings. The customizable table below combines these factors to bring you the definitive list of top CPUs. [CPUPro]
Welcome to our PC speed test tool. UserBenchmark will test your PC and compare the results to other users with the same components. You can quickly size up your PC, identify hardware problems and explore the best value for money upgrades.