CPU Showdown

Core i5-13500vsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i5-13500 is a sensible, everyday CPU for mainstream desktop builders, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a workstation monster for professionals who need to chew through massive rendering or simulation workloads.

Intel Core i5-13500
14C / 20T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-13500

Raptor Lake-S · Intel 7 nm · 2023

19score
4.6/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
14 / 20
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
4.8 GHz
L3 Cache
24 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 i5-13500
19
Ryzen Threadripper 7980XWinner
82
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X leads by 331.6% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#102Core i7-14700T19
#103Core i5-1350019
#104Core Ultra 5 245T19
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-13500Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores1464
Threads20128
Base Clock2.5 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.8 GHz5.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache17.5 MB64 MB
L3 Cache24 MB256 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
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 overall for professional workstation users who need extreme multi-core speed and massive memory capacity.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i5-13500 is the smarter pick—it offers strong everyday performance at a much lower price and power draw.

When the other wins

The Core i5-13500 is the right choice when you need a capable, affordable CPU for office tasks or gaming without the high cost and power demands of a workstation chip.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-13500 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 19 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-13500 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i5-13500?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 332% faster than the Core i5-13500 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-13500 or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i5-13500 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.