CPU Showdown

Core i9-9900vsRyzen Threadripper 7970X

The Core i9-9900 is an older, efficient desktop chip for everyday computing and light gaming, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is a high-core-count workstation monster for heavy multitasking and content creation.

Intel Core i9-9900
8C / 16T · 65W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
32C / 64T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-9900

Coffee Lake-R · 14 nm · 2019

10score
3.9/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
TDP
65W
Boost Clock
5.0 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

Storm Peak · 5 nm · 2023

60score
4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.3 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 i9-9900
10
Ryzen Threadripper 7970XWinner
60
Ryzen Threadripper 7970X leads by 500.0% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#6Ryzen Threadripper 9960X56
#266Ryzen 7 1800X10
#267Core i9-990010
#268Ryzen 5 PRO 4655G10
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-9900Ryzen Threadripper 7970X
Cores
Total Cores832
Threads1664
Base Clock3.1 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.3 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache2 MB32 MB
L3 Cache16 MB128 MB
Platform
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP65W350W
General
Process14 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7970X wins overall for its vastly higher multi-threaded performance and far greater core count, leaving the Core i9-9900 behind for heavy workloads.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the Core i9-9900 is the smarter pick due to its lower power draw and adequate speed for everyday tasks.

When the other wins

The Core i9-9900 is the right choice in a quiet home office where low heat and noise matter more than raw compute power.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-9900 better than the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (60 vs 10 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-9900 in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X than the Core i9-9900?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X is roughly 500% faster than the Core i9-9900 overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-9900 or the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7970X. If the Core i9-9900 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.