CPU Showdown

Core i3-12100TEvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Intel Core i3-12100TE is a low-power, efficient chip for basic office work or a quiet home server, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a high-core-count monster for professional rendering and heavy multitasking.

Intel Core i3-12100TE
4C / 8T · 35W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i3-12100TE

Alder Lake-S · 10 nm · 2022

6score
3/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
TDP
35W
Boost Clock
4.0 GHz
L3 Cache
12 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

64score
4.4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 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 i3-12100TE
6
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 966.7% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#371Core i5-8600K6
#372Core i3-12100TE6
#373Ryzen 3 4300G6
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i3-12100TERyzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores432
Threads864
Base Clock2.1 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.0 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache5 MB32 MB
L3 Cache12 MB128 MB
Platform
Socket1700sTR5
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 730
Power
Base TDP35W350W
General
Process10 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall for heavy workloads, leaving the Core i3-12100TE far behind in multi-core tasks.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i3-12100TE is the smarter pick, offering solid everyday performance at a fraction of the Threadripper's cost.

When the other wins

Choose the Core i3-12100TE for a low-power home server or basic office PC where the Threadripper's extreme power and cost would be wasted.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i3-12100TE better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (64 vs 6 out of 100), so it leads the Core i3-12100TE in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i3-12100TE?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 967% faster than the Core i3-12100TE overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i3-12100TE or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Core i3-12100TE 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.