CPU Showdown

Core i3-12300vsRyzen Threadripper 9960X

The Core i3-12300 is a simple, low-power workhorse for everyday desktop tasks, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is a workstation monster built for heavy multi-threaded workloads.

Intel Core i3-12300
4C / 8T · 60W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
24C / 48T · 350W
Intel

Core i3-12300

Alder Lake-S · Intel 7 nm · 2022

9score
4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
TDP
60W
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
L3 Cache
12 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

56score
4.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
24 / 48
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 i3-12300
9
Ryzen Threadripper 9960XWinner
56
Ryzen Threadripper 9960X leads by 522.2% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#7Ryzen Threadripper 7960X50
#295Core i7-9700K9
#296Core i3-123009
#297Core i7-9700KF9
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i3-12300Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
Cores
Total Cores424
Threads848
Base Clock3.5 GHz4.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.4 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache5 MB24 MB
L3 Cache12 MB128 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 5.0 and 4.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 730
Power
Base TDP60W350W
General
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9960X wins overall with vastly more cores and threads for heavy multitasking and content creation.

Best value

For budget or value buyers, the Core i3-12300 is smarter because it costs far less and handles everyday tasks well.

When the other wins

The Core i3-12300 is the right choice for a basic office PC or home computer where extreme multi-core power isn't needed.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i3-12300 better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (56 vs 9 out of 100), so it leads the Core i3-12300 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X than the Core i3-12300?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is roughly 522% faster than the Core i3-12300 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i3-12300 or the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X. If the Core i3-12300 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.