The test results showed that both the Intel Core i9-7980XE and Core i9-7960X are champrions in multi-threading. These two processors posted the highest scores we have seen to date in workloads like rendering, encoding, and file compression, and they also offer strong single-threaded performance, that outpaces AMD's Ryzen processors in most cases.

We were also impressed by the relatively low power consumption of the new chips. On the other hand, lightly-threaded workloads do not require all of the compute resources and bandwidth available with these ultra-high-end CPUs. This means that higher-clocked processors based on newer micro-architectures will just do the job, if not better.

Intel once again has the fastest slice of silicon on the market. But it seems that there's little justification for the price tag. The Threadripper 1950X features 16C/32T and costs $1,000. Intel's Core i9-7900X offers just 10C/20T for the same price. With the exception of gaming, the 1950X is a more powerful processor.

The i9-7960X costs a whopping $1,700 and while it might be faster, it certainly isn't $700 faster. The same applies for the $1,999 Core i9-7980XE.

Once again, are you willing to pay for the best performing silicon on the market or you go or for the Threadripper, which offers most of the performance at a fraction of the price?