CPU Showdown

Core i5-7442EQvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Core i5-7442EQ is a low-power, four-core chip built for slim, fanless industrial systems, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a 32-core workstation monster for heavy rendering and simulation.

Intel Core i5-7442EQ
4C / 4T · 25W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-7442EQ

Kaby Lake · 14 nm · 2017

3score
0/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
TDP
25W
Boost Clock
2.1 GHz
L3 Cache
6 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

64score
4.4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 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 i5-7442EQ
3
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 2033.3% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#465Core i3-7350K3
#466Core i5-7442EQ3
#467Core i3-73203
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-7442EQRyzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores432
Threads464
Base Clock4.0 GHz
Boost Clock2.1 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache1 MB32 MB
L3 Cache6 MB128 MB
Platform
SocketsTR5
MemoryDDR3DDR5
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel HD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP25W350W
General
Process14 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the clear winner overall, offering vastly more processing power for heavy workloads.

Best value

For budget or value buyers, the Core i5-7442EQ is the smarter pick due to its much lower power draw and adequate light-duty performance.

When the other wins

The Core i5-7442EQ is the right choice in a quiet, low-power office PC where raw multi-threaded speed isn't needed.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-7442EQ better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (64 vs 3 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-7442EQ in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i5-7442EQ?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 2033% faster than the Core i5-7442EQ overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-7442EQ or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Core i5-7442EQ 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.