Welp, it's time to upgrade your PC because AMD's newest processor, the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X, is now available on Amazon and Newegg for $899. It's a powerful 16-core processor that runs between 3.5 and 4.4 GHz.
If $899 seems like a lot, remember the Threadripper 1950X, the previous generation, released at $1,100. This is already $200 cheaper and will get less expensive over time, despite being one of the most powerful processors AMD has ever made.
The 2950X's big sister, the Threadripper 2990WX, has been out there since early August, but that one is designed for the extreme workstation and it's priced to match starting at $1,799. AMD already stunned PC enthusiasts when they released the original 16-core Threadrippers in 2017, but these new processors use AMD's Zen+ micro-architecture and up the ante all the way to 24 and 32 cores. You'd basically need to be in charge of your own $3k+ server farm to get that many cores from Intel.
Unlike some AMD processors, the 2950X does not come with a CPU cooler. You will need to buy an aftermarket one, and given how much work this CPU can do, it should probably be something huge like the Noctua NH-D15.
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