CPU Showdown

Core i9-12900EvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Core i9-12900E is a power-sipping desktop chip for compact workstations, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a multi-threaded monster for heavy rendering and server-class tasks.

Intel Core i9-12900E
16C / 24T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-12900E

Alder Lake-S · 10 nm · 2022

17score
2.3/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
16 / 24
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
5.0 GHz
L3 Cache
30 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 i9-12900E
17
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 276.5% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#123Ryzen 5 7600X17
#124Core i9-12900E17
#125Ryzen 7 5800XT17
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-12900ERyzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores1632
Threads2464
Base Clock2.3 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache20 MB32 MB
L3 Cache30 MB128 MB
Platform
Socket1700sTR5
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 770
Power
Base TDP65W350W
General
Process10 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall for heavy multithreaded workloads with its vastly higher core count and larger cache, leaving the Core i9-12900E behind.

Best value

The Core i9-12900E is the smarter pick for budget/value buyers because it offers solid performance at a fraction of the power and platform cost.

When the other wins

The Core i9-12900E is the right choice for a low-power, compact workstation where the Threadripper's extreme heat and motherboard requirements are impractical.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-12900E 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 17 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-12900E in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i9-12900E?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 277% faster than the Core i9-12900E overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-12900E or the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. If the Core i9-12900E 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.