CPU Showdown

Core i7-11700KvsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i7-11700K is a sensible 8-core chip for everyday gaming and home builds, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a 64-core workstation monster for heavy rendering and multi-tasking.

Intel Core i7-11700K
8C / 16T · 125W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i7-11700K

Rocket Lake · 14 nm · 2021

15score
3.8/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
TDP
125W
Boost Clock
5.0 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

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

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 i7-11700K
15
Ryzen Threadripper 7980XWinner
82
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X leads by 446.7% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#166Ryzen 5 8400F15
#167Core i7-11700K15
#168Ryzen 7 5700G15
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i7-11700KRyzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores864
Threads16128
Base Clock3.6 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache4 MB64 MB
L3 Cache16 MB256 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 4.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 750
Power
Base TDP125W350W
General
Process14 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X wins for extreme multi-core workloads, while the Core i7-11700K is better for budget gaming or light tasks.

Best value

The Core i7-11700K is the smarter pick for budget buyers needing a capable everyday CPU without spending on excessive cores.

When the other wins

The Core i7-11700K is the right choice if you build a compact gaming PC and don't need workstation-level multi-threaded power.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i7-11700K 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 15 out of 100), so it leads the Core i7-11700K in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i7-11700K?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 447% faster than the Core i7-11700K overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i7-11700K or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i7-11700K 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.