CPU Showdown

Core i9-10900vsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Core i9-10900 is a solid, efficient desktop chip for mainstream builders and gamers, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a workstation monster built for creators and heavy multitaskers.

Intel Core i9-10900
10C / 20T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-10900

Comet Lake · 14 nm · 2020

11score
3.5/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
10 / 20
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
5.1 GHz
L3 Cache
20 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 i9-10900
11
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 481.8% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#234Ryzen 5 PRO 5655G12
#235Core i9-1090011
#236Ryzen 5 5500GT11
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-10900Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores1032
Threads2064
Base Clock2.8 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock5.1 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache2.5 MB32 MB
L3 Cache20 MB128 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP65W350W
General
Process14 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall for anyone needing extreme multi-core power, leaving the Core i9-10900 far behind for heavy workloads.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the Core i9-10900 is the smarter pick if you only need everyday tasks and want to spend much less.

When the other wins

The Core i9-10900 is the right choice if you have an older LGA1200 motherboard and don't need the Threadripper's massive core count.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-10900 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 11 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-10900 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i9-10900?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 482% faster than the Core i9-10900 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-10900 or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Core i9-10900 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.