CPU Showdown

Core i9-12900TEvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Core i9-12900TE is a low-power workhorse for compact, quiet office builds, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a high-end workstation monster for pros running massive simulations or rendering all day.

Intel Core i9-12900TE
16C / 24T · 35W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-12900TE

Alder Lake-S · 10 nm · 2022

12score
4.1/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
16 / 24
TDP
35W
Boost Clock
4.8 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 i9-12900TE
12
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 433.3% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#209Core i7-1170012
#210Core i9-12900TE12
#211Core i9-9820X12
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-12900TERyzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores
Total Cores1632
Threads2464
Base Clock1.1 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock4.8 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 TDP35W350W
General
Process10 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall with far more cores and faster performance for heavy workloads.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i9-12900TE is the smarter pick due to its much lower power draw and adequate speed for everyday tasks.

When the other wins

The Core i9-12900TE is the right choice in a compact, low-noise office PC where power efficiency and modest multitasking matter more than raw compute power.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-12900TE 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 12 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-12900TE in most workloads.

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

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 433% faster than the Core i9-12900TE overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

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

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