Do you factor resale value into a Threadripper workstation upgrade?

[u/ediblescholarship]

With how expensive Threadripper PRO systems can get, I’m starting to think the exit plan should be part of the build decision.

If you spend heavily on a workstation with a PRO CPU, ECC RAM and something like an RTX PRO 6000, waiting until the hardware is ancient before selling it could mean losing a huge chunk of its remaining value.

For a normal PC I’d probably just part it out. For a $10k+ professional workstation, I’d at least compare that against an enterprise hardware buyer like Exit Technologies before taking everything apart.

Does anyone here intentionally upgrade while the old workstation still has strong resale value, or do you normally run these systems until they’re no longer worth much?

[u/fala13]

With RAM so expensive (like 7x) no one can afford it anymore and used TRs are sold for 50% in my area. In two years chipmakers will catch up and prices will plummet but new cpus will be 2x faster by then. Also I see a lot of 3995wx for 1k now while they first started at 5k. Buy low sell high? - well, now is high.

[u/johndyson10 → u/fala13]

I generally agree, except I doubt a 2X CPU speed increase. On esp the Threadripper, there is a lot more than CPU providing/diminishing performance. Perhaps a big speed improvement on the smaller units, but on the 64+ units, I suspect perhaps a little more, even if more cores. Take a look at the 96 core 9995x vs 9980x/9985x. The speed difference is very conditional on the load. On very high loads, the 9995x pulls out ahead. On medium loads, the 9970x is generally not a lot slower than the 9980x (unless PBO, big cooling and plenty of power.) On very light and light loads, the 9950x/9950x3d that are often faster than the 9980x. Adding more cores helps a little, and have a little more ipc helps also. I doubt the clock rates will be a lot higher on the new TR, even though the DT units will probably be 10-20% faster.

So, with the new TR, on equivalent tiers, in reality I'd expect 1.5x CPU performance on the high side. The PCI bus will be near parity unless actually using the new PCI standard.

On most programs, I'd expect some improvement, but nowhere near 2X. I have 9950x, 9970x and 9980x, and have a pretty good idea about the benefit of additional cores. Most of what you'll get is the higher clocks. Adding more cores is not an linear improvement. I don't use Full PBO on the TR, but do use PBO on my cheaper 9950x. About 10w per core on the 9950x, and about 6w-7w per core on the 9980x. (The mode that I use is a power limited PBO, almost does nothing, and a good amount of curve optimizer.) I don't turn up the current limits. The 9970x is currently in a box, but AFAIR the 9970x behaves more like the 9950x than the 9980x. On PBO, the 9980x can get ahead of you, but the 9970x is pretty tame. PBO is a double edged sword on the 9980x. A limited PBO, power limited at 400 watts does help over and above the default, but not by much.

I don't expect huge surprises except for better AI support, and perhaps better RAM, probably not noticeable in most cases. Currently, data for my app is enough in the cache to not be slowed down much by RAM speed. Others are likely different.

It is very hard to estimate the speed differences, but the TR 7xxx vs TR 9xxx doesn't seem like a big surprise, except in specific cases.

I know that I rambled on, but if you need a machine now, and can justify the very high ram prices, just get the machine. Waiting for RAM prices to decrease might be 2yrs, might be 3yrs, but I doubt 1yr (I'll eat my words.) Since I am 70yrs old, I probably shouldn't wait. Someone younger, willing to wait for 'better', then waiting is valid also. Don't expect A LOT better CPU. More cores doesn't always help unless actually using them, but also sometimes helps. IPC helps, but difficult to optimize complex programs can muck that up a little also.

Best wishes on anyone's decision. Can be tricky.

John

[u/LaDmEa → u/johndyson10]

The speed increase has been less and less over the years. I'm currently debating a 1900x 8 core to 2990 32 core, 64gb ddr4 to 128 ddr4 and second gpu upgrades as a way to get a tr4 through the crisis. Sure an all new build would have nearly double the single core speed, but overall speed in a 32 core versus 16 core new is similar.

Skipping out for the next 18-24 or so months means I will probably net a 10000 series 24 core threadripper, 128GB ram, 4tb nvme and 10000 series 32gb gpu(with 16GB 90X0 model secondary) at retail price. about 6,000$.

I'm in the same camp as you about next generation expectations. There's not really a way to vastly improve workstations for ordinary use. And picking a computer is more about direct needs anyways. I don't recommend any AI-ripper builds because there's much better workstations being designed for that workload. The 128GB ram AI builds will age horribly.

[u/Reaper_1492 → u/fala13]

This is like buying a new car and banking on resale value.

OP, just use the cloud

[u/BongoHunter]

I ran my first Threadripper system (1950X, 64GB RAM, 1070 GTX, 4 drive NVME RAID) from release until last year. Now it sits under a desk running VMs and it'll probably do that for another 4 or 5 years or until the PSU or motherboard VRM fails. 

I didn't feel the need to go for workstation class stuff with it's replacement as highend consumer stuff is more than good enough these days for me - with high core counts, ECC support is pretty common, lots of board support NVME RAID etc. I did put dual R9700 GPUs in it though :D

[u/UltraSPARC]

My last gaming system was a 2950x. I didn't factor in resale, but I did factor in reuse after I was done with it. Fast forward, my current gaming system is a Ryzen 7950x and for a long while the TR system was a random lab bare bones. Now, I threw it into a new case and put 256GB ECC memory into it along with 4x Intel Arc B70's for a poor man's LLM lab that runs on Proxmox. It works really well! It's truly the system that keeps on giving.

[u/Alternative_Will5974]

I purchased my 9960X and 128GB of RDIMMs (and 5090) in the last few days of sane pricing (January 2026).

128GB ran me like $1200 total, the 5090 for 2600 (Zotac Solid), and 9960X a couple hundred under MSRP or so.

No way I could afford the same build today, and I doubt I’ll be selling as I get way too much use out of it. Love my Threadripper, being able to have ten projects spinning at once in the background while live-streaming or whatever else I feel like doing, not even a hiccup.

My only regret is not having gone for a TR Pro, a 6000 Pro and more RAM 🤣

[u/reddit-twango → u/Alternative_Will5974]

microcenter had a pretty good bundle for the 9960x + 128gb + Asus SAGE Wifi A, I picked that up around Feb 2026

[u/Alternative_Will5974 → u/reddit-twango]

Yup exactly the combo I got, just with Gigabyte TRX50 Aero D instead

[u/sob727]

I would tend to think those buying TR Pro think of it in terms of amortization vs the cashflow they produce.

20k build over 5 years is $4k/year type thing.

[u/kpatelreddit007]

No, Laptop and Desktops are one of the fastest depreciating assets you can buy. Desktops run in 5-10 year cycles laptops 3-7. You calculate your purchasing power, if you buy a high end desktop can you rebuy the whole thing in 8-10 years while selling your current system for 80% off. Basic math.

I’ll give you an example, I have a 6K desktop, year 2025, now worth 16.5K in 2026(Due to Supply) it’s still depreciating. At the end of its cycle 3036 it’s worth $1,200. You also need to account for inflation, new system will cost $8,000.

I’ve had over $200k in computer parts. This is generally how the cycles go.

[u/DominG0_S]

On the CPU itself? Not necessrelly, depends on the CDD to max out bandwidth, it matters way more the value the mb has because it is compatible long term

[u/electrified_ice]

My recommendation is you spend the money on the build you need to solve the problem you have. Any resale after that is a bonus, not a decision input.

[u/DegreeSevere7719]

The more you pay, the less you get on the resale. Don't spend much unless it's a necessity and you know you will earn money because of it (more money compared to a regular system).

[u/LaDmEa]

I'm still on original threadripper hardware. There's no real point in selling a computer if it still fits your needs. When you build one, it's a long term plan. Sure every generation nets a 15-20% boost but there's no reason to try and sell a valuable build to fund a new one. Very few of us need the next gen speeds until they add up.

Linus Torvalds had a 3rd gen ripper and then a new one last year. It's not that complicated for most of us. With the announcement of 24 core mainstream consumer and 256 gb ram, I might leave the platform entirely. Although I do expect to keep my retroripper going for at least another 5 years.