CPU Showdown

Core i7-12700vsRyzen Threadripper 9960X

The Core i7-12700 is a sensible, power-efficient chip for everyday gamers and creators who want solid performance without a huge power bill, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is a workstation monster for professionals who need massive multi-core grunt for rendering or heavy simulation.

Intel Core i7-12700
12C / 20T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
24C / 48T · 350W
Intel

Core i7-12700

Alder Lake-S · Intel 7 nm · 2022

18score
4.4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
12 / 20
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
4.9 GHz
L3 Cache
25 MB

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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

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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 i7-12700
18
Ryzen Threadripper 9960XWinner
56
Ryzen Threadripper 9960X leads by 211.1% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#7Ryzen Threadripper 7960X50
#113Core 7 251TE18
#114Core i7-1270018
#115Core i9-9960X18
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i7-12700Ryzen Threadripper 9960X
Cores
Total Cores1224
Threads2048
Base Clock2.1 GHz4.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.9 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache15 MB24 MB
L3 Cache25 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 workloads due to its far higher multi-core capability and larger cache, leaving the Core i7-12700 behind for general tasks.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i7-12700 is the smarter pick, offering solid everyday performance at a lower power draw.

When the other wins

Choose the Core i7-12700 for a quiet, efficient office PC where extreme multi-threading isn't needed.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i7-12700 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 18 out of 100), so it leads the Core i7-12700 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X than the Core i7-12700?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X is roughly 211% faster than the Core i7-12700 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i7-12700 or the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9960X. If the Core i7-12700 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.