CPU Showdown

Core i9-11900KvsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i9-11900K is an older, mainstream desktop chip for gamers and everyday builders, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a workstation monster for creators and professionals who need massive multi-core power.

Intel Core i9-11900K
8C / 16T · 125W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 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 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 i9-11900K
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
#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 7980X
Cores
Total Cores864
Threads16128
Base Clock3.5 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.2 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 dominates the Core i9-11900K for heavy multithreaded work, making it the clear winner overall.

Best value

The Core i9-11900K is the smarter pick for budget buyers needing decent single-thread speed without the high platform cost.

When the other wins

The Core i9-11900K is the right choice for a compact gaming PC where extreme core counts are wasted and lower heat output matters.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-11900K 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 i9-11900K in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i9-11900K?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 447% 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 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. 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.