CPU Showdown

Core i5-12500TvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Core i5-12500T is an ultra-efficient desktop chip built for quiet home PCs and office work, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a workstation monster aimed at professionals rendering huge 3D scenes or crunching massive datasets.

Intel Core i5-12500T
6C / 12T · 35W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-12500T

Alder Lake-S · Intel 7 nm · 2022

10score
4.3/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
TDP
35W
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
L3 Cache
18 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 i5-12500T
10
Ryzen Threadripper 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 760.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#264Core i5-1140010
#265Core i5-12500T10
#266Ryzen 7 1800X10
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-12500TRyzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores
Total Cores664
Threads12128
Base Clock2.0 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.4 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache7.5 MB64 MB
L3 Cache18 MB256 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 5.0 and 4.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 770
Power
Base TDP35W350W
General
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X wins overall for anyone needing extreme multi-core performance, while the Core i5-12500T is only suitable for low-power office tasks.

Best value

The Core i5-12500T is the smarter pick for budget buyers who need a cool, efficient processor for basic computing.

When the other wins

The Core i5-12500T is the right choice if you're building a silent, low-power home server that won't strain your electricity bill.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-12500T 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 10 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-12500T in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Core i5-12500T?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 760% faster than the Core i5-12500T overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-12500T or the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. If the Core i5-12500T 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.