CPU Showdown

Core i9-11900KvsRyzen Threadripper 7970X

The Core i9-11900K is a mainstream gaming and general-use processor, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is a workstation monster for heavy multi-threaded tasks like rendering and simulation.

Intel Core i9-11900K
8C / 16T · 125W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-11900K

Rocket Lake · 14 nm · 2021

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

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Storm Peak · 5 nm · 2023

60score
4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
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 i9-11900K
15
Ryzen Threadripper 7970XWinner
60
Ryzen Threadripper 7970X leads by 300.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#160Core i5-1440015
#161Core i9-11900K15
#162Core i5-13400F15
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-11900KRyzen Threadripper 7970X
Cores
Total Cores832
Threads1664
Base Clock3.5 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock5.2 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache4 MB32 MB
L3 Cache16 MB128 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 7970X wins outright for heavy multitasking and professional workloads, while the Core i9-11900K is only suitable for basic desktop use.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i9-11900K is the smarter pick, offering adequate speed for everyday tasks at a lower cost.

When the other wins

The Core i9-11900K is the right choice if you need a simple office PC and don't run demanding multithreaded software.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-11900K better than the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (60 vs 15 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-11900K in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X than the Core i9-11900K?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is roughly 300% faster than the Core i9-11900K overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-11900K or the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X. If the Core i9-11900K 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.