CPU Showdown

Core i9-9900KSvsRyzen Threadripper 9970X

The Core i9-9900KS is a last-gen 8-core gaming CPU for solo gamers who want high single-thread speed, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is a 32-core workstation monster for creators and heavy multitaskers.

Intel Core i9-9900KS
8C / 16T · 127W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
32C / 64T · 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

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AMD

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Shimada Peak · 4 nm · 2025

64score
4.4/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
32 / 64
TDP
350W
Boost Clock
5.4 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 i9-9900KS
12
Ryzen Threadripper 9970XWinner
64
Ryzen Threadripper 9970X leads by 433.3% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#4Ryzen Threadripper 9970X64
#5Ryzen Threadripper 7970X60
#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 9970X
Cores
Total Cores832
Threads1664
Base Clock4.0 GHz4.0 GHz
Boost Clock5.0 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache2 MB32 MB
L3 Cache16 MB128 MB
Platform
MemoryDDR4DDR5
PCIePCIe 3.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUIntel UHD Graphics 630
Power
Base TDP127W350W
General
Process14 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X wins overall, offering far more cores and memory for heavy multitasking and professional workloads than the Core i9-9900KS.

Best value

For budget/value buyers, the Core i9-9900KS is a smarter pick if you need strong single-threaded performance on an older platform.

When the other wins

The Core i9-9900KS is the right choice for a retro gaming or low-cost office build where high core counts are unnecessary.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Core i9-9900KS better than the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X?

Overall the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the stronger processor: it ranks higher in our aggregate performance score (64 vs 12 out of 100), so it leads the Core i9-9900KS in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X than the Core i9-9900KS?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is roughly 433% 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 9970X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. 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.