Ryzen AI Max 385 vs Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX

The Ryzen AI Max 385 packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX has 24 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 385 versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — a 17.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI Max 385 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Ryzen AI Max 385 uses the Strix Halo (2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses Zen+ (2018−2019) (12 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen AI Max 385 scores 32,274 against the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX's 31,945 — a 1% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 385. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 16,500 vs 33,213 (67.2% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 2,800 vs 1,206, a 79.6% lead for the Ryzen AI Max 385 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 14,000 vs 7,612 (59.1% advantage for the Ryzen AI Max 385). L3 cache: 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max 385 vs 64 MB on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX.

The Ryzen AI Max 385 uses the FP11 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX uses TR4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR5x-8000 on the Ryzen AI Max 385 versus DDR4-2933 on the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX — the Ryzen AI Max 385 supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX supports up to 2048 GB of RAM compared to 128 GB — 176.5% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 4-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 20 (Ryzen AI Max 385) vs 64 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX) — the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX offers 44 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Strix Halo platform (Ryzen AI Max 385) and X399 (Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX).

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Only the Ryzen AI Max 385 supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The Ryzen AI Max 385 includes integrated graphics (Radeon 8050S), while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen AI Max 385 targets High-performance AI / Gaming Laptop, Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX targets Extreme Content Creation. Direct competitor: Ryzen AI Max 385 rivals Core Ultra 9 285H; Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX rivals Core i9-9980XE.

The Ryzen AI Max 385 launched at $0 MSRP, while the Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX debuted at $1799. At current prices ($0 vs $1247), the Ryzen AI Max 385 is $1247 cheaper.