Skip to content

Main Navigation

Puget Systems Logo
  • Solutions
    • Recommended Systems For:
    • Content Creation
      • Photo Editing
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • Adobe Lightroom Classic
        • Adobe Photoshop
      • Video Editing
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • Adobe After Effects
        • Adobe Premiere Pro
        • DaVinci Resolve
        • Foundry Nuke
      • 3D Design and Animation
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • Autodesk 3ds Max
        • Autodesk Maya
        • Blender
        • Cinema 4D
        • Houdini
        • ZBrush
      • Real-Time Engines
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • Game Development
        • Unity
        • Unreal Engine
        • Virtual Production
      • Rendering
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • OctaneRender
        • Redshift
        • V-Ray
      • Digital Audio
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • Ableton Live
        • FL Studio
        • Pro Tools
    • Engineering
      • CAD
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • Autodesk AutoCAD
        • Autodesk Inventor
        • Autodesk Revit
        • SOLIDWORKS
      • Photogrammetry
        • Recommended Systems For:
        • ArcGIS Pro
        • Agisoft Metashape
        • Pix4D
        • RealityCapture
    • Scientific Computing
      • Recommended Systems For:
      • Data Science
      • Machine Learning / AI
      • Scientific Computing
    • More
      • Recommended Systems For:
      • Compact Size
      • Live Streaming
      • NVIDIA RTX Studio
      • Quiet Operation
      • Virtual Reality
  • Products
    • Intel Core i7 & i9
      Workstations with 13th Gen Intel Core i7 & i9 processors on Z690 and Z790 chipsets
    • AMD Ryzen 7 & 9
      Workstations with AMD Ryzen 7000 Series processors on B650 and X670 chipsets
    • AMD Threadripper PRO
      Workstations with AMD Threadripper PRO 5000 WX processors on the WRX80 chipset
    • Intel Xeon W
      Workstations with Intel Xeon W 3300 processors on the C621E chipset
    • Rackmount & Server
      Servers and workstations in rackmount chassis
    • Custom Computers
      Customize a desktop workstation from scratch
    • Custom Servers
      Customize a rackmount server from scratch
    • QNAP Network Attached Storage
      Check out our external storage options as an authorized reseller for QNAP
    • Recommended Third Party Peripherals
      View our list of recommended peripherals to use with your new PC
  • Publications
    • Articles
    • HPC Blog
    • Blog Posts
    • Case Studies
    • Podcasts
    • Press
  • Support
    • Contact Support
    • Support Articles
    • Warranty Details
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Press Kit
    • Testimonials
    • Careers
  • Talk to an Expert
  • My Account
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Hardware Articles
  4. /
  5. Cinema 4D CPU Comparison: Skylake-X vs Threadripper

Cinema 4D CPU Comparison: Skylake-X vs Threadripper

Posted on September 1, 2017 by William George
Always look at the date when you read an article. Some of the content in this article is most likely out of date, as it was written on September 1, 2017. For newer information, see Cinema 4D CPU Comparison: Skylake-X vs Threadripper

Table of Contents

  • Introduction
  • Test Setup
  • Benchmark Results
  • Conclusion

Introduction

Cinema 4D, from Maxon, is widely used for creating advanced 3D graphics. When rendering those graphics, the performance of the central processor (CPU) in a computer is of paramount importance. CPU-based rendering generally scales well with both clock speed and core count, but those specifications cannot be directly compared across different brand or generations of processor. Here at Puget Systems we do real-world testing to ensure we provide our customers with the right computer for their needs.

In this article we are going to look at the latest CPU options from Intel and AMD, both of which have recently released high core count processors that should be great for Cinema 4D. From Intel we have the Core X series of processors, which were code-named Skylake X. They come in 6- to 12-core models currently, though up to 18-core variants will be coming in the future. Up against these chips are AMD's new Threadripper processors, based on a pair of Zen chips combined into a single package. We'll be looking at the 12- and 16-core models in that family to see how they stack up against Intel's traditional lead in this application.

We are also including several other CPU platforms in this article, as points of comparison. We've got Intel's lower core count Kaby Lake chips, along with AMD's similar Ryzen line. Intel's Xeon versions of the Skylake X are also present, called Skylake W or Xeon W depending on where you look. And to top things off, a dual Xeon configuration is included as well – to show what can happen if you put two powerful processors together.

Test Setup

To see how these different CPUs perform in Cinema 4D, we ran Cinebench R15 on the following configurations:

Skylake X (X299) and Threadripper (X399) Test Platforms  
Motherboard: Gigabyte X299 AORUS Gaming 7
(rev 1.0)
Gigabyte X399 AORUS Gaming 7
(rev 1.0)
CPU:

Intel Core i7 7800X 3.5GHz
(4.0GHz Turbo) 6 Core

~$389

Intel Core i7 7820X 3.6GHz
(4.3/4.5GHz Turbo) 8 Core

~$599
Intel Core i9 7900X 3.3GHz
(4.3/4.5GHz Turbo) 10 Core

~$999
Intel Core i9 7920X 2.9GHz
(4.3/4.4GHz Turbo) 12 Core

~$1199

AMD Threadripper 1920X 3.5GHz
(4.0GHz Turbo) 12 Core

~$799
AMD Threadripper 1950X 3.4GHz
(4.0GHz Turbo) 16 Core

~$999
RAM: 8x Crucial DDR4-2400 16GB
(128GB total)
8x Crucial DDR4-2666 16GB
(128GB Total)
8x Crucial DDR4-2666 16GB
(128GB Total)
GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB
Hard Drive: Samsung 960 Pro M.2 PCI-E x4 NVMe SSD
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Software: Cinebench R15
Core and Ryzen Comparison Platforms
Motherboard: Asus PRIME Z270-A Gigabyte X299 AORUS Gaming 7 (rev 1.0) Asus PRIME X370-Pro
CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K 4.2GHz
4 Core (4.5GHz Max Turbo)
Intel Core i7 7740X 4.2GHz
(4.5GHz Turbo) 4 Core
AMD Ryzen 7 1700X 3.4GHz
(3.8GHz Turbo) 8 Core
RAM: 4x Crucial DDR4-2400 16GB (64GB total)

4x Crucial DDR4-2666 16GB (64GB total)

4x Crucial DDR4-2666 16GB (64GB total)
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro P6000 24GB
Drive: Samsung 960 Pro M.2 PCI-E x4 NVMe SSD
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Software: Cinebench R15
Xeon Comparison Platforms
Motherboard: Gigabyte MW51-HP0 Asus Z10PE-D8 WS
CPU:

Intel Xeon W-1235 3.7GHz
(4.5GHz Turbo) 6 Core
Intel Xeon W-1245 3.7GHz
(4.5GHz Turbo) 8 Core
Intel Xeon W-1255 3.3GHz
(4.5GHz Turbo) 10 Core

Intel Xeon E5-2690 V4
14 Core (3.2-3.5GHz Turbo)
RAM: 4x DDR4-2133 16GB ECC Reg. (64GB total) 8x Samsung DDR4-2400 32GB ECC Reg. (256GB total)
GPU: NVIDIA Quadro P6000 24GB
Drive: Samsung 960 Pro M.2 PCI-E x4 NVMe SSD
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Software: Cinebench R15

These test configurations include a wide range of Intel and AMD processors. CPU-based rendering in Cinema 4D is known to scale well across multiple cores, so the lower core count processors are mostly here for reference. Such 4, 6, and even 8 core chips are common on home and gaming computers, as well as office workstations, but they don't really hold up well under heavily threaded applications like rendering. Ideal performance for rendering will be found with 10+ cores, and a while the focus of this particular article is on single-CPU performance we included a dual Xeon processor setup as an example of how well such a system does with heavily threaded workloads.

The results presented below are from Cinebench R15, which is a free benchmark released by Maxon. It is designed to test CPU and GPU performance within Cinema 4D without requiring a full installation of that software. Since the focus of this article is on CPU performance we only ran the CPU portion of Cinebench, which gives two results. The first is single-core performance, which is a good indicator of how well a processor will do with 3D modeling and other applications that are not heavily threaded. The second result is multi-core performance, and while both results are presented below it is this latter one which shows rendering speed.

It is also worth noting that there are some differences in the amount and speed of RAM across the various test platforms, as well as the video card utilized. We prefer to use the speed of memory that each CPU is rated for, according to its manufacturer, but in the case of the new Xeon W processors we couldn't get the rated speed running on the motherboard sample we have. Intel processors generally show little impact from small changes in memory speed, though, so that shouldn't impact the results much. Likewise, since this benchmark focuses on the CPU, the difference between the two video cards used will not affect the results.

Benchmark Results

Here are the single-core results for the various CPUs we tested in Cinebench R15:

Cinebench R15 Single Core Results

In order to measure single-core perormance, Cinebench renders an image using only one thread. This is a completely artificial limit, something you would never do in normal usage, but it does provide some insight into how different CPUs perform when faced with single-threaded applications. Most 3D modeling programs only use one thread, for example, so if you spend time doing that type of work in addition to rendering then these results may be worth considering.

One thing that is clearly visible here is Intel's lead in single-threaded performance. Almost all of the Intel processors tested here include high Turbo Boost speeds, which cause the clock speed to jump dramatically when only one (or sometimes two) cores are running. This means that even with high core count processor from Intel you don't have to sacrifice single-threaded performance. By contrast, AMD's processors and the dual Xeon configuration all lag behind by 15-25% when only one core is active.

And here are the multi-core results from Cinebench, the real meat and potatoes of this article:

Cinebench R15 Multi Core Results

This second test is where we really want to focus, and the different processors really spread out so you can see the impact of their added cores. The dual Xeon, with a total of 28 cores, definitely wins out – but that is a much more expensive system and is really just included here as a point of reference. Among the single CPU workstations, AMD's 16-core 1950X is the fastest by a healthy margin. Next up is Intel's 12-core i9 7920X, which beats out AMD's 12-core variant in performance… but costs even more than the 16-core model. The rest of the processors fall out below those in accordance with the number of cores they have.

An interesting thing to note here is that Intel's Core X and Xeon W lines match up very closely on a per-core basis. That makes sense as these are based on the same Skylake technology under the hood, but Intel charges a lot more for the Xeon variants since they support features like ECC memory. If that matters to you then they are a viable option in terms of performance, but be aware that you will pay a premium for them. Many AMD processors also support ECC (though not registered) memory, but not all motherboards do.

It is also worth noting that Intel has 14, 16, and even 18-core models coming soon in the Core X series. When they are released later this year some of them will likely beat out AMD's Threadripper chips for the top performance spot in single CPU rendering, but at a higher price tag. AMD and Intel both have server-class processors with even more cores as well: up to 32 on AMD's EPYC and up to 28 from Intel's Xeon Platinum line. With their focus on the multi-CPU server segment those may not come into play here, but if a manufacturer puts out a single-socket workstation motherboard that is compatible with either of those platforms then they may be worth a look.

Conclusion

Here is a summary of Cinebench multi-core performance between just the top two Skylake X and Threadripper processors:

Cinebench R15 Skylake X vs Threadripper Comparison

Based on these test results, and as of the writing of this article, Threadripper is clearly in the lead for CPU based rendering in Cinema 4D. The 16-core 1950X not only beats the 12-core i9 7920X, it also costs less. Looking to the near future, Intel's 14-18 core processors are likely to take back the performance lead – but will still cost more than AMD's offerings. We will test those when they become available and publish additional results at that time. We will also use this data to craft our Cinema 4D rendering recommendations going forward.

For users who don't do a lot of rendering, we also offer a 4-core system focused on design and animation performance. Those aspects of Cinema 4D are more single-threaded in nature, and as shown in the single core results you don't need an expensive processor to get good performance there. Whatever your specific workload is, all of our recommended systems for Cinema 4D can be found below.

CTA Image
Cinema 4D Workstations

Puget Systems offers a range of powerful and reliable systems that are tailor-made for your unique workflow.

Configure a System!
CTA Image
Labs Consultation Service

Our Labs team is available to provide in-depth hardware recommendations based on your workflow.

Find Out More!

Related Content

  • Intel Xeon W-3400 Content Creation Preview
  • Intel NUC 13 Extreme Content Creation Review
  • Intel Core i9 13900KS Content Creation Review
  • What H.264 and H.265 Hardware Decoding is Supported in DaVinci Resolve Studio?
View All Related Content

Latest Content

  • Basic Guide to Identify and Remove Malware
  • Should I Upgrade My Gpu
  • Case Study with Lost Boys Interactive
  • Samsung 990 Pro Critical Firmware Update
View All
Tags: 4D, AMD, Cinebench, Cinema, Core, CPU, i7, i9, Intel, Maxon, Performance, Processor, Rendering, Ryzen, Threadripper

Who is Puget Systems?

Puget Systems builds custom PCs tailored for your workflow

Extensive in-house testing
making you more productive and giving you more performance for your dollar

Reliable workstations
with fewer crashes and blue screens means more time working, less time waiting on your computer

Support that understands
your complex workflows and can get you back up and running ASAP

Proven track record
check out our customer testimonials and Reseller Ratings

Get Started

Browse Our Workstations

Fractal Design Define 7 Chassis with Puget Systems Logo

Select your workflow:

Content Creation
Engineering
Scientific Computing
More

Latest Articles

  • Basic Guide to Identify and Remove Malware
  • Should I Upgrade My Gpu
  • Case Study with Lost Boys Interactive
  • Samsung 990 Pro Critical Firmware Update
  • How To Use Linux Kernel Boot Options
View All

Post navigation

 Photoshop CC 2017.1.1 CPU Comparison: Skylake-X vs ThreadripperArnold for Maya CPU Comparison: Skylake-X vs Threadripper 
Puget Systems Logo
Build Your Own PC Site Map FAQ
facebook instagram linkedin rss twitter youtube

Optimized Solutions

  • Adobe Premiere
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Solidworks
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Machine Learning

Workstations

  • Content Creation
  • Engineering
  • Scientific PCs
  • More

Support

  • Online Guides
  • Request Support
  • Remote Help

Publications

  • All News
  • Puget Blog
  • HPC Blog
  • Hardware Articles
  • Case Studies

Policies

  • Warranty & Return
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Delivery Times
  • Accessibility

About Us

  • Testimonials
  • Careers
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

© Copyright 2023 - Puget Systems, All Rights Reserved.