CPU Showdown

Core i9-10980XEvsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Intel Core i9-10980XE is a high-end desktop CPU for enthusiasts who want solid multi-threading on an older platform, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a workstation monster for professionals who need extreme core counts.

Intel Core i9-10980XE
18C / 36T · 165W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-10980XE

Cascade Lake-X · 14 nm · 2019

19score
3.7/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
18 / 36
TDP
165W
Boost Clock
4.8 GHz
L3 Cache
24.75 MB

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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

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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 i9-10980XE
19
Ryzen Threadripper 7980XWinner
82
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X leads by 331.6% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#91Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX19
#92Core i9-10980XE19
#93Ryzen 7 8700G19
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-10980XERyzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores1864
Threads36128
Base Clock3.0 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.8 GHz5.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache18 MB64 MB
L3 Cache24.75 MB256 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP165W350W
General
Process14 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X decisively wins overall, as it vastly outperforms the Core i9-10980XE with many more cores and much faster processing for demanding tasks.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the Core i9-10980XE is the smarter pick if you find it used or discounted, offering capable multi-threaded work at a lower cost.

When the other wins

The Core i9-10980XE is the right choice for legacy workstation builds where the older socket and platform are already owned or available cheaply.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-10980XE 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 19 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-10980XE in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i9-10980XE?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 332% faster than the Core i9-10980XE overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-10980XE or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i9-10980XE 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.