Technical Comparison WRX90 and TRX50 Platforms for Workstations and HEDT
AMD's Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Pro WX and 7000 series processors are accompanied by two motherboard platforms: WRX90 for workstations and TRX50 for High-End Desktop (HEDT) environments. Both platforms utilize the sTR5 socket, featuring 4844 pins—a count identical to the SP6 socket of the EPYC 8004 (Siena) processors. It is pertinent to note that despite the identical pin count, sTR5 and SP6 are not pin-compatible. However, the sTR5 socket maintains cooler compatibility with the preceding sTRX4 socket.
The WRX90 platform, designed for Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Pro WX-series CPUs, accommodates eight memory channels and supports up to 1 TB of DDR5-5200 RDIMM memory. Conversely, the TRX50 platform caters to non-Pro Threadripper processors, providing four memory channels, 48 CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, and an extra 32 CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes. A key difference is that the WRX90 is tailored exclusively for Threadripper Pro processors, allowing for up to 128 PCIe 5.0 lanes and incorporating AMD Pro series features. Although the TRX50 is more cost-effective with fewer memory channels and a simpler PCIe configuration, it is capable of supporting Threadripper 7000 Pro CPUs, albeit with limited Pro features. Non-Pro Threadripper 7000 series CPUs are not compatible with the WRX90 platform. Both platforms mark a shift from the prior generation by moving to DDR5-5200 RDIMM memory, with the WRX90 supporting up to 2 TB and the TRX50 up to 1 TB.
Ultimately, the TRX50 chipset is the 'little brother' counterpart of the WRX90, with fewer memory channels and a reduced number of PCIe 5.0 lanes. While it supports up to 1 TB of RAM—matching the current maximum capacity of 128 GB DDR5 DIMMs—this suffices for most applications, except for some memory-intensive tasks like scientific computing, where the WRX90's superior memory bandwidth is advantageous. The WRX90 also brings advanced features such as remote management and AMD PRO Technologies, suitable for more complex computing needs.
While the TRX50 is exclusive to Threadripper non-Pro processors, the WRX90 is optimized for Threadripper Pro CPUs but also maintains compatibility with the TRX50. It is expected that the TRX50 can also be used with a 96-core Threadripper Pro processor, which is a core count not available in the non-Pro Threadripper series.
The Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Pro WX-series and 7000 series processors, alongside the WRX90 and TRX50 platforms, are scheduled to be available on November 21st. The non-Pro Threadripper 7000 lineup has disclosed prices: the 7980X at $4999, the 7970X at $2499, and the 7960X at $1499.
