CPU Showdown

Core i3-12300vsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Core i3-12300 is a low-cost, everyday CPU for basic office work and light gaming, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a high-end workstation monster for heavy rendering and multi-tasking.

Intel Core i3-12300
4C / 8T · 60W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 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 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 i3-12300
9
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 611.1% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#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 9970X
Cores
Total Cores432
Threads864
Base Clock3.5 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.4 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache5 MB32 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 9970X wins overall for heavy multitasking and professional workloads, but the Core i3-12300 is a better fit for basic home or office use.

Best value

Budget buyers should pick the Core i3-12300 for its low cost and sufficient speed in everyday tasks, not the overkill Threadripper.

When the other wins

If you need a simple web browsing or document editing machine, the Core i3-12300 is the right choice over the expensive Threadripper.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i3-12300 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 9 out of 100), so it leads the Core i3-12300 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i3-12300?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 611% 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 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. 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.