CPU Showdown

Ryzen 9 9900XvsRyzen Threadripper 9980X

The Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end desktop chip for gamers and creators who need strong single-threaded speed on a mainstream platform, while the Threadripper 9980X is a workstation monster for professionals running huge multi-threaded workloads.

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
12C / 24T · 120W
VS
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X
64C / 128T · 350W
AMD

Ryzen 9 9900X

Granite Ridge · 4 nm · 2024

33score
4.5/ 5
0 votes
Cores / Threads
12 / 24
TDP
120W
Boost Clock
5.6 GHz
L3 Cache
64 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.

Ryzen 9 9900X
33
Ryzen Threadripper 9980XWinner
86
Ryzen Threadripper 9980X leads by 160.6% in aggregate performance.
Where they rank overall
#1EPYC 9755100
#2Ryzen Threadripper 9980X86
#3Ryzen Threadripper 7980X82
#27Ryzen Threadripper 3960X33
#28Ryzen 9 9900X33
#29Core Ultra 5 250K Plus31
Technical Specifications

Side-by-Side Specs

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

SpecsRyzen 9 9900XRyzen Threadripper 9980X
Cores
Total Cores1264
Threads24128
Base Clock4.4 GHz3.2 GHz
Boost Clock5.6 GHz5.4 GHz
Cache
L2 Cache12 MB64 MB
L3 Cache64 MB256 MB
Platform
SocketAM5sTR5
MemoryDDR5DDR5
PCIePCIe 5.0PCIe 5.0
iGPUAMD Radeon Graphics
Power
Base TDP120W350W
General
Process4 nm4 nm
Verdict

Which should you buy?

Winner overall

The Threadripper 9980X wins for heavy multi-threaded work, but the Ryzen 9 9900X is the better choice for most users who don't need extreme core counts.

Best value

For budget-focused buyers, the Ryzen 9 9900X offers more sensible performance per dollar for everyday tasks and gaming.

When the other wins

The Threadripper 9980X is the right choice if you regularly render complex 3D scenes or run multiple virtual machines simultaneously.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is the Ryzen 9 9900X 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 33 out of 100), so it leads the Ryzen 9 9900X in most workloads.

How much faster is the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X than the Ryzen 9 9900X?

Based on our aggregated benchmark scores the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X is roughly 161% faster than the Ryzen 9 9900X overall. The real-world gap varies by game, resolution and settings.

Which should you buy, the Ryzen 9 9900X or the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X?

If you want the most performance, pick the Ryzen Threadripper 9980X. If the Ryzen 9 9900X 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.