CPU Showdown

Core i9-9820XvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Core i9-9820X is a 10-core workstation chip for professionals who need stable single-threaded work and a lower power envelope, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X packs 64 cores for heavy multi-threaded tasks like rendering or simulation.

Intel Core i9-9820X
10C / 20T · 165W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
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 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 i9-9820X
12
Ryzen Threadripper 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 616.7% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#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 9980X
Cores
Total Cores1064
Threads20128
Base Clock3.3 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock4.2 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache10 MB64 MB
L3 Cache16.5 MB256 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
Power
Base TDP165W350W
General
Process14 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9980X wins decisively with far more cores and faster boost speeds for heavy workloads.

Best value

For budget buyers, the Core i9-9820X is the smarter pick if you need capable performance without paying for extreme multi-core power.

When the other wins

Choose the Core i9-9820X when you need a simpler, lower-power chip for moderate tasks and don't require massive parallel processing.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

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

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Core i9-9820X?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 617% 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 9980X?

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