CPU Showdown

Core i9-7980XEvsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i9-7980XE is an 18-core Skylake-based processor for professionals who need solid multi-threaded work from a mature platform, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a 64-core monster for heavy rendering and virtualization workloads.

Intel Core i9-7980XE
18C / 36T · 165W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-7980XE

Skylake (server) · 14 nm · 2017

18score
4.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
18 / 36
TDP
165W
Boost Clock
4.4 GHz
L3 Cache
24.75 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 i9-7980XE
18
Ryzen Threadripper 7980XWinner
82
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X leads by 355.6% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#115Core i9-9960X18
#116Core i9-7980XE18
#117Ryzen Threadripper 2950X18
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-7980XERyzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores1864
Threads36128
Base Clock2.6 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.4 GHz5.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache18 MB64 MB
L3 Cache24.75 MB256 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP165W350W
General
Process14 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X wins overall with far more cores and faster boost speeds for heavy multitasking and content creation.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i9-7980XE is the smarter pick if you need older platform compatibility and lower power draw.

When the other wins

The Core i9-7980XE is the right choice if you're building a modest workstation on a tight budget and don't need extreme multi-core performance.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-7980XE 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 18 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-7980XE in most workloads.

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

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 356% faster than the Core i9-7980XE overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-7980XE or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i9-7980XE 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.