- Which is better for gaming?
- The Athlon 3000G is the more usable gaming chip of the two because it has integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics and needs no video card. The Threadripper PRO 5955WX is not aimed at consumer gaming and requires a discrete GPU, so it only makes sense for gaming if you already own a fast card and want the cores for other work.
- Which lasts longer before needing an upgrade?
- The Threadripper PRO 5955WX has far more headroom: 16 cores, 32 threads and 8 memory channels will stay useful for professional work for years. The Athlon 3000G is already near the bottom of the stack and will feel slow in any multi-threaded task.
- Is the Threadripper PRO worth the extra cost?
- Only if your software uses many threads, such as rendering, simulation or CAD, where the 16 cores pay back in time saved. For browsing, office work and video, the Athlon does the job at a fraction of the platform cost.
- Can I use the same motherboard for both?
- No. The Athlon 3000G uses AM4; the Threadripper PRO 5955WX uses sWRX8. They need different boards, coolers and in most cases different power supplies.
- Does the Athlon 3000G need a graphics card?
- No. It has integrated Radeon Vega 3 graphics with 1080p output, so a basic build needs no discrete card. The Threadripper PRO 5955WX has no integrated graphics and requires one.
- Which uses less power?
- The Athlon 3000G at 35 W TDP uses a fraction of the Threadripper PRO's 280 W. That means a smaller cooler, a cheaper PSU and lower running costs for a basic desktop.
