CPU Showdown

Core i3-12100TEvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Core i3-12100TE is a low-power, entry-level CPU for basic office work and home servers, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a workstation monster for heavy rendering and scientific computing.

Intel Core i3-12100TE
4C / 8T · 35W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
64C / 128T · 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 9980X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

86score
3.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
64 / 128
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 GHz
L3 Cache
256 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 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 1333.3% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#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 9980X
Cores
Total Cores464
Threads8128
Base Clock2.1 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.0 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache5 MB64 MB
L3 Cache12 MB256 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 9980X wins overall for heavy multithreaded workloads and extreme performance, far outpacing the Core i3-12100TE.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i3-12100TE is the smarter pick given its low power draw and sufficient speed for basic tasks.

When the other wins

The Core i3-12100TE is the right choice for a low-power home server or office PC where the Threadripper's massive core count would be wasteful.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i3-12100TE better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (86 vs 6 out of 100), so it leads the Core i3-12100TE in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Core i3-12100TE?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 1333% 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 9980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. 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.