CPU Showdown

Core i5-14600vsRyzen Threadripper 9960X

The Core i5-14600 is a sensible, power-sipping chip for everyday gaming and productivity builds, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is a workstation monster built for heavy multi-core rendering and virtual machines.

Intel Core i5-14600
14C / 20T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
24C / 48T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-14600

Raptor Lake-R · Intel 7 nm · 2024

22score
3.7/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
14 / 20
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
5.2 GHz
L3 Cache
24 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

56score
4.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
24 / 48
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.3 GHz
L3 Cache
128 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core i5-14600
22
Ryzen Threadripper 9960XWinner
56
Ryzen Threadripper 9960X leads by 154.5% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#7Ryzen Threadripper 7960X50
#76Core i7-1370022
#77Core i5-1460022
#78Core i9-12900F21
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-14600Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
Cores
Total Cores1424
Threads2048
Base Clock2.7 GHz4.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.2 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache28 MB24 MB
L3 Cache24 MB128 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 9960X wins overall for heavy multi-threaded workloads thanks to far more cores and cache.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i5-14600 is the smarter pick—it runs cooler and costs less while handling everyday tasks well.

When the other wins

The Core i5-14600 is the right choice for a general-use PC where low power draw and quiet operation matter more than raw multi-core grunt.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-14600 better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (56 vs 22 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-14600 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X than the Core i5-14600?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is roughly 155% faster than the Core i5-14600 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-14600 or the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X. If the Core i5-14600 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.