CPU Showdown

Core i3-12100EvsRyzen Threadripper 7970X

The Core i3-12100E is a budget-friendly, low-power chip for basic office work and light multitasking, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is a high-end workstation monster aimed at professional creators and heavy multi-threaded workloads.

Intel Core i3-12100E
4C / 8T · 60W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i3-12100E

Alder Lake-S · 10 nm · 2022

8score
3.2/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
TDP
60W
Boost Clock
4.2 GHz
L3 Cache
12 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Storm Peak · 5 nm · 2023

60score
4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.3 GHz
L3 Cache
128 MB

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Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core i3-12100E
8
Ryzen Threadripper 7970XWinner
60
Ryzen Threadripper 7970X leads by 650.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#311Core i3-14100T8
#312Core i3-12100E8
#313Core i7-8700K8
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

Every detail compared. Highlighted cells indicate the leading value for that metric.

SpecsCore i3-12100ERyzen Threadripper 7970X
Cores
Total Cores432
Threads864
Base Clock3.2 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.2 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache5 MB32 MB
L3 Cache12 MB128 MB
Platform
Socket1700sTR5
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 730
Power
Base TDP60W350W
General
Process10 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7970X wins overall for users who need extreme multi-core performance for heavy workloads.

Best value

The Core i3-12100E is the smarter pick for budget buyers who need a low-power, affordable chip for basic tasks.

When the other wins

The Core i3-12100E is the right choice when building a simple office PC or home server where low cost and low power matter more than raw speed.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i3-12100E better than the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (60 vs 8 out of 100), so it leads the Core i3-12100E in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X than the Core i3-12100E?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is roughly 650% faster than the Core i3-12100E overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i3-12100E or the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X. If the Core i3-12100E is meaningfully cheaper where you shop, it can be the better value for similar real-world results — check current prices and the full spec comparison above before deciding.