CPU Showdown

Core i9-9820XvsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i9-9820X is a decade-old workstation CPU for light multi-tasking and older software, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a modern creator chip for heavy rendering and virtual machines.

Intel Core i9-9820X
10C / 20T · 165W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-9820X

Skylake (server) · 14 nm · 2018

12score
3.3/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
10 / 20
TDP
165W
Boost Clock
4.2 GHz
L3 Cache
16.5 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 i9-9820X
12
Ryzen Threadripper 7980XWinner
82
Ryzen Threadripper 7980X leads by 583.3% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#210Core i9-12900TE12
#211Core i9-9820X12
#212Core i5-14400T12
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-9820XRyzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores1064
Threads20128
Base Clock3.3 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.2 GHz5.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache10 MB64 MB
L3 Cache16.5 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 massively more cores and faster performance for heavy workloads.

Best value

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is the smarter pick for budget/value buyers needing extreme multi-threaded power without paying a premium.

When the other wins

The Core i9-9820X is the right choice for a legacy workstation build where the older socket and lower power draw fit an existing setup.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-9820X 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 12 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-9820X in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i9-9820X?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 583% faster than the Core i9-9820X overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-9820X or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i9-9820X 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.