CPU Showdown

Core i5-12600vsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i5-12600 is a practical, low-power chip for everyday desktop use, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a workstation monster built for heavy multi-core tasks.

Intel Core i5-12600
6C / 12T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-12600

Alder Lake-S · Intel 7 nm · 2022

13score
3.7/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
6 / 12
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
4.8 GHz
L3 Cache
18 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 7980X

Storm Peak · 5 nm · 2023

82score
3.7/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
64 / 128
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.1 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 i5-12600
13
Ryzen Threadripper 7980XWinner
82
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X leads by 530.8% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#200Core i9-1091013
#201Core i5-1260013
#202Core i7-12700T13
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-12600Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores664
Threads12128
Base Clock3.3 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.8 GHz5.1 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 TDP65W350W
General
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X wins for extreme multitasking and heavy workloads, but the Core i5-12600 is the better pick for everyday use and gaming.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i5-12600 is the smarter pick, offering solid performance for typical tasks without overspending.

When the other wins

The Core i5-12600 is the right choice if you're building a standard desktop for web browsing and light productivity and don't need a workstation.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-12600 better than the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (82 vs 13 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-12600 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i5-12600?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 531% faster than the Core i5-12600 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-12600 or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i5-12600 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.