Lenovo P620 Threadripper Pro 3975WX Review

1. Lenovo P620 Threadripper Pro Workstation2. Tests: CPU3. Tests: CPU & Memory4. Tests: System, Power, and Thermals5. Closing Thoughts6. View All Pages

The Lenovo Thinkstation P620 is clearly geared towards users who have a need for a mighty CPU alongside heaps of high-bandwidth memory and plentiful PCIe connectivity. And with those goals, Threadripper Pro helps the P620 deliver successfully.

The Threadripper Pro 3975WX CPU proves just as pleasing to use with demanding tasks as its non-Pro 32-core Threadripper brother. AMD’s entire Zen ecosystem yet again proves successful on the CPU side with the modest cooling system allowing for comfortable, stable clock speed and thermal operation thanks to the genius Precision Boost 2 algorithm.

And the fact that Threadripper’s key downside – memory capacity – has been addressed with the 2TB, Octa-channel capable Pro version is a key positive.

There are some clear pros and cons for the Thinkstation P620. Firstly, Lenovo’s system uses 3200MHz ECC DDR4 which is an ideal partner to the Zen 2 Threadripper chips thanks to a 1600MHz Infinity Fabric link speed. I also appreciate just how compact the Lenovo chassis is, and its front IO is excellent, but the motherboard rear IO not so much.

The fan curve is clearly well designed for reducing noise quickly once load is removed. Though, that small chassis does come with the downside of higher and more irritating noise output compared to what I would like due to the 80mm fans. And don’t even get me started on the pointless 40mm fan RAM coolers.

Expandability of the P620 is reasonable, with an extra graphics card, NIC, and SSD expander being likely additions. However, there is no denying that a system built around the more DIY focussed, larger motherboards such as the Asus Pro WS WRX80E-SAGE offer superior expansion possibilities. That is especially true to users who want triple or quadruple graphics cards with minimal networking and high-speed storage compromise. The Lenovo system falls short there and doesn’t really allow Threadripper Pro’s 128 lanes of PCIe connectivity to be utilised properly.

Oh, and POST time on the P620 is ridiculous at around 1 minute of high-speed fan whirring until we actually get any signs of life from a connected monitor.

Compared to the PC Specialist Sentinel Threadripper Pro workstation that Leo reviewed, the performance is similar. Lenovo offers a far superior memory setup, a more compact chassis, excellent tool-less design, and a proper Pro-designated graphics card. PC Specialist’s similarly priced workstation offers far superior expansion capability, better IO connectivity, stronger cooling, and a physically more capable graphics card albeit a prosumer model.

This is not really a comparison between those systems, though, as they both have pros and cons and useful positions in the market. And they both show off the versatility and sheer horsepower of AMD’s Threadripper Pro processor.

Overall, I think Lenovo has done a good job with the Thinkstation P620. It’s not all smooth sailing, but this is a workstation that I would be happy to use as my daily configuration as an employee, especially if the company – which is likely limited to HP, Dell, or Lenovo purchase agreements – was paying the hefty price tag. Threadripper Pro in its 32-core 3975WX form delivers, and it delivers well.

You can configure and buy the Lenovo ThinkStation P620 Threadripper Pro workstation from Lenovo's webpage. The system configuration that we reviewed costs roughly £5.5K-6K depending upon the graphics card situation in light of current pricing and availability.

The Threadripper Pro 3975WX processor is priced at £2300 at Overclockers UK if you fancy tackling it with a DIY build.

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Pros:

• Excellent Threadripper Pro 3975WX CPU performance.
• Superb 8-channel memory configuration.
• Chassis is compact for a workstation with an excellent tool-less design.
• Cooling proves adequate.
• Reasonable upgrade capabilities for an OEM workstation.
• Excellent online configurator options.

Cons:

• Fans can get loud and tend to rattle.
• RAM coolers seem to be pointless additions.
• IO ports and motherboard expansion could be improved.
• Graphics card often feels comparably underpowered.

KitGuru says: We have to respect the effort that Lenovo has put into the Thinkstation P620. AMD delivered the goods with the Threadripper Pro CPU, but Lenovo certainly created a superb workstation platform to allow the chip to shine, and shine brightly.

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