RealityCapture CPU Performance: Intel Core X-10000 vs AMD Threadripper 3rd Gen

Introduction

For years, choosing between Intel and AMD processors has been relatively straight forward. Intel held a strong lead in per-core performance, and combined with a moderate number of cores that gave their processors an edge in lightly to moderately threaded applications. AMD excelled in pure core count, making them great for heavily threaded workloads, but with lower per-core performance and architectural design limitations that led to poor results in some situations. This changed quite a bit on the consumer side when AMD launched their 3rd gen Ryzen CPUs, but still held true when it came to the HEDT (High End Desktop) processors from both brands.

Now, both Intel and AMD are launching new HEDT processors that have the potential to shake things up dramatically!

On Intel's side, the new Core X-10000 series processors are only slightly faster than the previous generation – but Intel has cut their prices nearly in half. For example, while the MSRP of the Core i9 9980XE was $1,979 the new Core i9 10980XE is just $979.

On AMD's side, the new Threadripper 3rd Gen CPUs are actually a little more expensive than earlier models (by $100-200) but their raw performance is expected to be quite a bit better. The gains are not in core count, though, but rather in clock speed, performance per core, and architectural improvements which eliminate some bottlenecks that the first and second generation Threadripper CPUs had.

For this article we are taking a look at how these new processors compare against each other, the previous generation they are replacing, and their mainstream desktop counterparts. The focus is on photogrammetry processing in RealityCapture, using a benchmark tool we developed here at Puget Systems. More info about this utility is available in the Benchmark Details.

If you would prefer to skip over our test setup and benchmark sections, feel free to jump straight to the Conclusion.

Test Hardware

Here are the specifications of the different platforms we used for our testing:

A quick note about memory specifications: the latest CPUs from AMD and Intel support varying speeds of RAM depending on how many modules are installed. In past articles we've sometimes tested at multiple speeds, but to help keep things more uniform going forward we are standardizing on the speed that each processor / platform supports when all memory slots are used (even if we aren't filling them completely for our testing). Along with using the same total RAM capacity, that should help to keep results fair and consistent.

Benchmark Details

For testing photogrammetry applications, we have four image sets that we own the rights to – covering both smaller and larger size model and map projects. The smaller image sets are included in our public RealityCapture benchmark, which you can download and run if you want to compare your system's performance to what we measured in our testing.

• Rock Model – 45 photos at 20 megapixels each
• School Map – 51 photos at 18 megapixels each
• School Model – 278 photos at 18 megapixels each
• Park Map – 758 photos at 18 megapixels each

Benchmark Results

A lot is going on in the chart below, so before getting into it here is a reference key for the color scheme:

• Light blue = Intel consumer CPUs (9th Gen Core series)
• Dark blue = Intel HEDT CPUs (X-9000 series)
• Dark blue with glow – NEW Intel HEDT CPUs (X-10000 series)
• Light red = AMD consumer CPUs (Ryzen 3rd Gen)
• Dark red = AMD HEDT CPUs (Threadripper 2nd Gen)
• Dark red with glow – NEW AMD HEDT CPUs (Threadripper 3rd Gen)

Analysis

From the charts above, it looks like Intel has improved performance slightly with the new Core X series compared to the previous generation. Combined with the massive price reductions on this line, that represents a solid increase in value.

However, AMD's Threadrippers – while actually slightly more expensive than their predecessors – saw a substantial boost in processing speed. They finish projects in RealityCapture in 30-40% less time than the older models, which also makes them the best overall performing CPUs among all those we tested for this article. Interestingly, however, there was very little difference between the 3960X and 3970X in this application (1-5%).

Is Intel X Series or AMD Threadripper 3rd Gen CPUs better for RealityCapture?

AMD's Threadripper 3rd Gen processors are 10-20% faster than Intel's Core X series in RealityCapture. While the offer the best absolute performance, though, AMD's more mainstream Ryzen 9 3950X is an even better value for many users. It costs hundreds of dollars less, while performing only 2 to 5% slower than the current top-end Threadripper 3970X.