CPU Showdown

Core i5-8500TvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Intel Core i5-8500T is a low-power, six-core chip built for quiet office PCs and compact desktops, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a high-core-count monster for professional workstations that chew through massive rendering or simulation tasks.

Intel Core i5-8500T
6C / 6T · 35W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i5-8500T

Coffee Lake-S · 14 nm · 2018

5score
3.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
6 / 6
TDP
35W
Boost Clock
3.5 GHz
L3 Cache
9 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 i5-8500T
5
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 1180.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#412Ryzen 5 14005
#413Core i5-8500T5
#414Ryzen 5 PRO 3400GE5
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i5-8500TRyzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores632
Threads664
Base Clock2.1 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock3.5 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache1.5 MB32 MB
L3 Cache9 MB128 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP35W350W
General
Process14 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins for anyone needing serious multi-core muscle, while the Core i5-8500T only fits ultra-low-power builds.

Best value

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers far more cores and speed for the money, making it the smarter pick over the Core i5-8500T.

When the other wins

Choose the Core i5-8500T for a tiny, quiet office PC where power draw and heat must stay minimal.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i5-8500T 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 5 out of 100), so it leads the Core i5-8500T in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i5-8500T?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 1180% faster than the Core i5-8500T overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i5-8500T or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Core i5-8500T 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.