CPU Showdown

Core i9-9900KSvsRyzen Threadripper 7980X

The Core i9-9900KS is a compact 8-core gaming CPU for enthusiasts who want high single-core speed on a mainstream platform, while the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is a 64-core workstation monster for professionals who need extreme multi-threaded rendering and compute power.

Intel Core i9-9900KS
8C / 16T · 127W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7980X
64C / 128T · 350W
Intel

Core i9-9900KS

Coffee Lake-R · 14 nm · 2019

12score
3.7/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
8 / 16
TDP
127W
Boost Clock
5.0 GHz
L3 Cache
16 MB

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

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

As an Amazon Associate we may earn from qualifying purchases.

Aggregate Performance

Overall Performance Score

A unified score from combined synthetic and real-world benchmarks. 100 represents the fastest desktop CPU available.

Core i9-9900KS
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
#230Core i5-11600KF12
#231Core i9-9900KS12
#232Ryzen 5 550012
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsCore i9-9900KSRyzen Threadripper 7980X
Cores
Total Cores864
Threads16128
Base Clock4.0 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.1 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache2 MB64 MB
L3 Cache16 MB256 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP127W350W
General
Process14 nm5 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 7980X wins overall for heavy multi-threaded workloads, while the Core i9-9900KS suits lighter single-thread tasks.

Best value

Value buyers should pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X for its massive core count and cache, far outstripping the older i9-9900KS.

When the other wins

The Core i9-9900KS is the right choice for a legacy LGA1151 system upgrade where you need a fast single-thread boost without swapping the motherboard.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-9900KS 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 i9-9900KS in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X than the Core i9-9900KS?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X is roughly 583% faster than the Core i9-9900KS overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Core i9-9900KS or the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 7980X. If the Core i9-9900KS 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.