CPU Showdown

Core i9-12900FvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Core i9-12900F is a sensible, power-efficient desktop CPU for everyday gamers and builders, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is a workstation monster for heavy multitasking and rendering.

Intel Core i9-12900F
16C / 24T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-12900F

Alder Lake-S · Intel 7 nm · 2022

21score
4.2/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
16 / 24
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
5.1 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 i9-12900F
21
Ryzen Threadripper 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 309.5% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#77Core i5-1460022
#78Core i9-12900F21
#79Ryzen 7 7700X21
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-12900FRyzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores
Total Cores1664
Threads24128
Base Clock2.4 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.1 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache20 MB64 MB
L3 Cache30 MB256 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 5.0 and 4.0PCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP65W350W
General
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X wins overall for raw multi-threaded muscle and extreme workstation tasks, leaving the Core i9-12900F behind.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the Core i9-12900F is the smarter pick due to much lower power use and adequate performance for everyday computing.

When the other wins

The Core i9-12900F is the right choice in a compact, quiet office build where low heat and noise matter more than extreme core counts.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-12900F 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 21 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-12900F in most workloads.

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

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 310% faster than the Core i9-12900F overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-12900F or the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. If the Core i9-12900F 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.