CPU Showdown

Core i5-10500vsRyzen Threadripper 7970X

The Core i5-10500 is a sensible, budget-friendly desktop CPU for everyday tasks and light gaming, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is a monstrous workstation chip built for professionals who need extreme multi-core muscle.

Intel Core i5-10500
6C / 12T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-10500

Comet Lake · 14 nm · 2020

8score
4.1/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
4.5 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 i5-10500
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
#329Ryzen 5 1600X8
#330Core i5-105008
#331Core i7-10700T8
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-10500Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
Cores
Total Cores632
Threads1264
Base Clock3.1 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.5 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache1.5 MB32 MB
L3 Cache12 MB128 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP65W350W
General
Process14 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7970X wins overall for anyone needing extreme multi-threaded performance, while the Core i5-10500 is only suitable for basic, low-cost computing.

Best value

For budget-focused buyers, the Core i5-10500 is the smarter pick because it costs far less and handles everyday tasks without waste.

When the other wins

The Core i5-10500 is the right choice if you need a cheap office PC for web browsing and light work, where the Threadripper's power and price are overkill.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-10500 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 i5-10500 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X than the Core i5-10500?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is roughly 650% faster than the Core i5-10500 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-10500 or the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X. If the Core i5-10500 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.