Intel Core i9-12900K vs AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

Last updated: 2023-11-18

CPU comparison with benchmarks


Intel Core i9-12900K		AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
CPU comparison Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X - which processor is faster? In this comparison we look at the differences and analyze which of these two CPUs is better. We compare the technical data and benchmark results. The Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 cores with 24 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 5.20 GHz. Up to 128 GB of memory is supported in 2 memory channels. The Intel Core i9-12900K was released in Q4/2021. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has 24 cores with 48 threads and clocks with a maximum frequency of 4.50 GHz. The CPU supports up to 2048 GB of memory in 4 memory channels. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X was released in Q4/2019.

Intel Core i9 (78)	Family	AMD Ryzen Threadripper (13)
Intel Core i 12000 (34)	CPU group	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3000 (3)
12	Generation	3
Alder Lake S	Architecture	Castle Peak (Zen 2)
Desktop / Server	Segment	Desktop / Server
Intel Core i9-11900K	Predecessor	--
Intel Core i9-13900K	Successor	--

CPU Cores and Base Frequency The Intel Core i9-12900K has 16 CPU cores and can calculate 24 threads in parallel. The clock frequency of the Intel Core i9-12900K is 3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz) while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has 24 CPU cores and 48 threads can calculate simultaneously. The clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is at 3.80 GHz (4.50 GHz).
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
16	Cores	24
24	Threads	48
hybrid (big.LITTLE)	Core architecture	normal
Yes	Hyperthreading	Yes
Yes	Overclocking ?	Yes
3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz) 8x Golden Cove	A-Core	3.80 GHz (4.50 GHz)
2.40 GHz (3.90 GHz) 8x Gracemont	B-Core	--
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Processors with the support of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) can process many calculations, especially audio, image and video processing, much faster than classic processors. Algorithms for ML improve their performance the more data they have collected via software. ML tasks can be processed up to 10,000 times faster than with a classic processor.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
--	AI hardware	--
--	AI specifications	--

Internal Graphics The Intel Core i9-12900K or AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short. The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
Intel UHD Graphics 770	GPU	no iGPU
0.30 GHz	GPU frequency	--
1.55 GHz	GPU (Turbo)	--
11	GPU Generation	--
10 nm	Technology
3	Max. displays
32	Compute units	--
256	Shader	--
No	Hardware Raytracing	No
No	Frame Generation	No
64 GB	Max. GPU Memory	--
12	DirectX Version	--

Hardware codec support A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
Intel UHD Graphics 770	GPU	no iGPU
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (8 bit)	No
Decode / Encode	Codec h265 / HEVC (10 bit)	No
Decode / Encode	Codec h264	No
Decode / Encode	Codec VP9	No
Decode / Encode	Codec VP8	No
Decode	Codec AV1	No
Decode / Encode	Codec AVC	No
Decode	Codec VC-1	No
Decode / Encode	Codec JPEG	No

Memory & PCIe The Intel Core i9-12900K can use up to 128 GB of memory in 2 memory channels. The maximum memory bandwidth is 76.8 GB/s. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X supports up to 2048 GB of memory in 4 memory channels and achieves a memory bandwidth of up to 51.2 GB/s.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
DDR5-4800, DDR4-3200	Memory	DDR4-3200
128 GB	Max. Memory	2048 GB
2 (Dual Channel)	Memory channels	4 (Quad Channel)
76.8 GB/s	Max. Bandwidth	51.2 GB/s
Yes	ECC	Yes
14.00 MB	L2 Cache	12.00 MB
30.00 MB	L3 Cache	128.00 MB
5.0	PCIe version	4.0
20	PCIe lanes	64
78.8 GB/s	PCIe Bandwidth	126.0 GB/s
Thermal Management The thermal design power (TDP for short) of the Intel Core i9-12900K is 125 W, while the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X has a TDP of 280 W. The TDP specifies the necessary cooling solution that is required to cool the processor sufficiently.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
125 W	TDP (PL1 / PBP)	280 W
241 W	TDP (PL2)	--
--	TDP up	--
--	TDP down	--
100 °C	Tjunction max.	95 °C
Technical details The Intel Core i9-12900K is manufactured in 10 nm and has 44.00 MB cache. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X is manufactured in 7 nm and has a 140.00 MB cache.
Intel Core i9-12900K	Characteristic	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
10 nm	Technology	7 nm
Monolithic	Chip design	Chiplet
x86-64 (64 bit)	Instruction set (ISA)	x86-64 (64 bit)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+	ISA extensions	SSE4a, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, FMA3
LGA 1700	Socket	TRX4 (sTRX4)
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d	Virtualization	AMD-V, SVM
Yes	AES-NI	Yes
Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux	Operating systems	Windows 10, Windows 11, Linux
Q4/2021	Release date	Q4/2019
589 $	Release price	1435 $

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Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz (5.20 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save! AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 3.80 GHz (4.50 GHz) buy now on Amazon and save!

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Average performance in benchmarks

⌀ Single core performance in 6 CPU benchmarks

Intel Core i9-12900K (100%)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X (66%)

⌀ Multi core performance in 9 CPU benchmarks

Intel Core i9-12900K (78%)

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X (98%)

Cinebench 2024 (Single-Core)

The Cinebench 2024 benchmark is based on the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxon's 3D program Cinema 4D. The benchmark runs are each 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	126 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	81 (64%)

Cinebench 2024 (Multi-Core)

The Multi-Core test of the Cinebench 2024 benchmark uses all cpu cores to render using the Redshift rendering engine, which is also used in Maxons Cinema 4D. The benchmark run is 10 minutes long to test whether the processor is limited by its heat generation.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	1582 (79%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	2011 (100%)

Cinebench R23 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	1997 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	1270 (64%)

Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R23 is the successor of Cinebench R20 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	27472 (80%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	34255 (100%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	1990 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	1274 (64%)

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 5 is a cross plattform benchmark that heavily uses the systems memory. A fast memory will push the result a lot. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	17595 (82%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	21436 (100%)

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The single-core benchmark only evaluates the performance of the fastest CPU core, the number of CPU cores in a processor is irrelevant here.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	2560 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	1684 (66%)

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Geekbench 6 is a benchmark for modern computers, notebooks and smartphones. What is new is an optimized utilization of newer CPU architectures, e.g. based on the big.LITTLE concept and combining CPU cores of different sizes. The multi-core benchmark evaluates the performance of all of the processor's CPU cores. Virtual thread improvements such as AMD SMT or Intel's Hyper-Threading have a positive impact on the benchmark result.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	16244 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	13875 (85%)

Cinebench R20 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R20 is the successor of Cinebench R15 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	779 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	509 (65%)

Cinebench R20 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R20 is the successor of Cinebench R15 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	10511 (78%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	13552 (100%)

Blender 3.1 Benchmark

In the Blender Benchmark 3.1, the scenes "monster", "junkshop" and "classroom" are rendered and the time required by the system is measured. In our benchmark we test the CPU and not the graphics card. Blender 3.1 was presented as a standalone version in March 2022.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	364 (67%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	542 (100%)

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Some of the CPUs listed below have been benchmarked by CPU-monkey. However the majority of CPUs have not been tested and the results have been estimated by a CPU-monkey’s secret proprietary formula. As such they do not accurately reflect the actual Passmark CPU mark values and are not endorsed by PassMark Software Pty Ltd.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	40902 (75%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	54800 (100%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 3.20 GHz	11365 (71%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 3.80 GHz	16082 (100%)

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Cinebench R15 is the successor of Cinebench 11.5 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The single-core test only uses one CPU core, the amount of cores or hyperthreading ability doesn't count.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.20 GHz	294 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.50 GHz	209 (71%)

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Cinebench R15 is the successor of Cinebench 11.5 and is also based on the Cinema 4 Suite. Cinema 4 is a worldwide used software to create 3D forms. The multi-core test involves all CPU cores and taks a big advantage of hyperthreading.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	4111 (69%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	5933 (100%)

iGPU - FP32 Performance (Single-precision GFLOPS)

The theoretical computing performance of the internal graphics unit of the processor with simple accuracy (32 bit) in GFLOPS. GFLOPS indicates how many billion floating point operations the iGPU can perform per second.


	Intel Core i9-12900K Intel UHD Graphics 770 @ 1.55 GHz	794 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X @ 0.00 GHz	0 (0%)

Blender 2.81 (bmw27)

Blender is a free 3D graphics software for rendering (creating) 3D bodies, which can also be textured and animated in the software. The Blender benchmark creates predefined scenes and measures the time (s) required for the entire scene. The shorter the time required, the better. We selected bmw27 as the benchmark scene.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	0 (0%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	59.2 (100%)

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Single-Core)

The CPU-Z benchmark measures a processor's performance by measuring the time it takes the system to complete all benchmark calculations. The faster the benchmark is completed, the higher the score.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 16C 24T @ 5.00 GHz	817 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 24C 48T @ 4.00 GHz	0 (0%)

CPU performance per watt (efficiency)

Efficiency of the processor under full load in the Cinebench R23 (multi-core) benchmark. The benchmark result is divided by the average energy required (CPU package power in watts). The higher the value, the more efficient the CPU is under full load.


	Intel Core i9-12900K 27,472 CB R23 MC @ 240 W	114 (100%)
	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X 3.80 GHz	0 (0%)

Devices using this processor
Intel Core i9-12900K	AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
Unknown	Unknown

News and articles for the Intel Core i9-12900K and the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

First Geekbench 5 benchmark of the Intel Core i7-13700K

Posted by Stefan on 2022-07-26

Last week we already reported on the new Intel Core i7-13700K processor from Intel, which is expected in autumn 2022. With 8+8 CPU cores (24 threads), the Intel Core i7-13700K should have the same configuration as last year's Intel Core i9-12900K. With this, Intel wants to finally clear AMD's lead in multi-core performance, which has existed for several years.

Intel Core i9-13900 benchmark of engineering sample

Posted by Stefan on 2022-06-15

Intels 13th generation of the Intel Core i series (Raptor Lake) is about to be released and a lot of information is already known from the official side. This information includes e.g. the number of CPU cores, the expected increase in performance and the manufacturing technology of the new CPUs.

We compare the technical data of the Intel Core i9-13900 with its predecessor and look at benchmarks that have already been published.

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