CPU Showdown

Core i9-12900EvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Core i9-12900E is a low-power workhorse for compact builds and everyday tasks, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a monstrous multi-core beast for heavy rendering and data-crunching pros.

Intel Core i9-12900E
16C / 24T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
64C / 128T · 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 9980X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

86score
3.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
64 / 128
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 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 i9-12900E
17
Ryzen Threadripper 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 405.9% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#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 9980X
Cores
Total Cores1664
Threads24128
Base Clock2.3 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache20 MB64 MB
L3 Cache30 MB256 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 9980X wins overall for those needing extreme multi-core performance, while the Core i9-12900E is better for power-sensitive or compact builds.

Best value

For budget-focused buyers, the Core i9-12900E offers a smarter pick with good performance at a fraction of the power use.

When the other wins

The Core i9-12900E is the right choice for a quiet home office PC where low heat and modest performance matter more than raw throughput.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-12900E better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (86 vs 17 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-12900E in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Core i9-12900E?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 406% 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 9980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. 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.