AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX vs Intel Core i5-4570 Comparison

The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX and the Intel Core i5-4570 represent two entirely different eras and market tiers of desktop computing. The data shows a complete sweep in favor of the Threadripper, which wins all eight head-to-head benchmark comparisons, but the magnitude of those wins varies dramatically across workloads. The 32-core, 64-thread Zen+ flagship dominates multi-threaded tasks by over 500% in Cinebench tests, while its single-core advantage over the older Haswell chip is a comparatively modest 25.2% in Geekbench. This makes the comparison less about competition and more about illustrating generational and segment-wide performance gaps.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most lopsided results appear in the Cinebench suite, where the Threadripper 2990WX’s massive core count translates into overwhelming multi-threaded scores. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 2758 against the Intel’s 447, a delta of 517%. That pattern holds across the newer Cinebench versions: R20 multi-core shows 11495 vs 1865 (516.4% delta), and R23 multi-core shows 27370 vs 4442 (516.2% delta). These are nearly identical percentage gaps, suggesting that the benchmark’s scaling remains consistent across versions for both chips.

Single-core Cinebench results are equally one-sided, though the absolute numbers are much smaller. The Threadripper posts 389 in R15 single-core versus 63 for the i5-4570, a 517.5% delta. In R20, the scores are 1622 vs 263 (516.7%), and in R23, 3864 vs 627 (516.3%). These deltas are strikingly similar to the multi-core figures, indicating that the Threadripper’s per-core performance advantage is just as large as its core-count advantage in this specific benchmark. This is unusual, as single-core tests typically compress the gap between processors with vastly different core counts.

Geekbench tells a different story. The multi-core test shows the Threadripper scoring 11821 against 3118 for the i5-4570, a 279.1% delta — significant, but roughly half the percentage advantage seen in Cinebench. More revealing is the Geekbench single-core result: 1303 vs 1041, a 25.2% delta. This is the closest margin in the entire head-to-head set. While the Threadripper still wins decisively, the single-core Geekbench gap is about 20 times smaller than the corresponding Cinebench R23 single-core gap. The data suggests that Geekbench’s single-core workload is less sensitive to the architectural and clock differences between Zen+ and Haswell than Cinebench is.

The overall benchmark score averages confirm the hierarchy: the Threadripper’s average benchmark score is 7578, while the i5-4570 averages 7421. Both chips sit at the 63rd percentile against all CPUs, which is an interesting coincidence given the 32-core vs 4-core split. The Threadripper’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-6500 (deltaPct 0.1), the AMD EPYC 7371 (0.1), and the Intel Core i5-4590 (-0.4). The i5-4570’s nearest rivals are the Intel Core i9-9990XE (0.1), AMD EPYC 7282 (0.2), and Intel Core i9-9980XE (0.3). These rival lists place both chips in a similar aggregate performance band, despite the Threadripper’s overwhelming victory in every direct head-to-head test.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The Threadripper 2990WX uses the Zen+ architecture (codename Colfax) on a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries, while the i5-4570 uses the Haswell architecture on Intel’s 22 nm process. The process node difference is significant — 12 nm vs 22 nm — and underlies the Threadripper’s ability to pack 32 cores into a 4x 213 mm² die configuration with 19,200 million transistors. The i5-4570, by contrast, uses a single 177 mm² die with 1,400 million transistors.

Core and thread counts represent the starkest differentiator: 32 cores and 64 threads for the AMD part versus 4 cores and 4 threads for the Intel part. Cache hierarchies scale accordingly. The Threadripper has 96 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 64 MB of L3 cache. The i5-4570 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB of shared L3. The Threadripper’s total L3 cache is over ten times larger, which directly benefits multi-threaded workloads that share data across cores.

Memory support diverges as well. The Threadripper uses DDR4 memory over a quad-channel bus with a stated bandwidth of 93.9 GB/s. The i5-4570 uses DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus, with no bandwidth figure listed in the data. Neither processor supports ECC memory. The Threadripper’s PCIe implementation is Gen 3 with 60 lanes (CPU only), while the i5-4570 is listed simply as Gen 3 without a lane count. The Intel part includes integrated graphics in the form of Intel HD 4600; the Threadripper has no integrated graphics listed.

Clock speeds show a different tradeoff. The i5-4570 has a higher base clock at 3.20 GHz versus 3.00 GHz for the Threadripper, and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz versus 4.20 GHz. The Threadripper’s higher boost clock gives it a 0.60 GHz advantage under turbo conditions, but the Intel part’s higher base clock means it starts at a faster pace. Power consumption and thermal design are also on opposite ends of the spectrum: the Threadripper has a 250 W TDP, while the i5-4570 is rated at 84 W. The sockets are incompatible (AMD Socket SP3r2 vs Intel Socket 1150), and the Threadripper’s multiplier is unlocked while the i5-4570’s is locked.

Where Each One Wins

The Threadripper 2990WX wins every benchmark in the head-to-head set, so the question is not which chip wins, but where each chip’s relative strengths and weaknesses lie. The AMD part’s dominance is most pronounced in Cinebench across all versions, where it maintains a consistent ~516% lead in both single-core and multi-core tests. This indicates that Cinebench workloads, regardless of thread count, strongly favor the Zen+ architecture’s instruction throughput and clock scaling. The i5-4570’s best relative performance comes in Geekbench single-core, where it trails by only 25.2%. This suggests that the older Haswell design still competes respectably in lightly threaded, mixed-integer workloads that do not heavily exercise SIMD or cache bandwidth.

For multi-threaded rendering, video encoding, or any workload that scales across cores, the Threadripper is in a different league. Its 64 threads and 64 MB L3 cache allow it to sustain massive parallel throughput, as evidenced by the Geekbench multi-core score of 11821, which is 3.79 times the i5-4570’s 3118. The i5-4570’s 4 threads and 6 MB L3 cache limit it to workloads that fit within a small working set, though its higher base clock of 3.20 GHz gives it a nominal advantage in single-threaded tasks that do not boost well on the AMD part — though the benchmark data does not reflect that advantage, as the Threadripper still wins all single-core tests.

The i5-4570’s integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600) provide a capability the Threadripper lacks entirely, making it viable for basic display output without a discrete GPU. The Threadripper requires a separate graphics card. In terms of market positioning, the Threadripper is a desktop segment part with a 250 W TDP and an unlocked multiplier, aimed at power users who accept high power draw for maximum throughput. The i5-4570 is also a desktop part, but its 84 W TDP and locked multiplier reflect a more conservative design targeting mainstream builds. The Threadripper’s production status is listed as Active, while the i5-4570’s status is null in the data.

FAQ

Q: How much faster is the Threadripper 2990WX in multi-core Cinebench R23?

A: The Threadripper scores 27370 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, while the i5-4570 scores 4442. This represents a 516.2% delta, meaning the AMD part is roughly six times faster in this workload.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the i5-4570 is competitive?

A: The closest margin is Geekbench single-core, where the Threadripper scores 1303 against 1041 for the i5-4570, a 25.2% delta. This is the smallest gap across all eight head-to-head tests, but the i5-4570 does not win any benchmark.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Threadripper 2990WX has 32 cores and 64 threads. The i5-4570 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Threadripper’s core count is eight times higher, and its thread count is sixteen times higher.

Q: How do the cache sizes compare?

A: The Threadripper has 64 MB of L3 cache, while the i5-4570 has 6 MB of shared L3. The Threadripper also has larger per-core L1 (96 KB vs 64 KB) and L2 (512 KB vs 256 KB) caches.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Threadripper 2990WX has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, which is 0.60 GHz higher than the i5-4570’s boost clock of 3.60 GHz. However, the i5-4570 has a higher base clock of 3.20 GHz versus 3.00 GHz.

Q: Do these processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the Threadripper 2990WX and the i5-4570 have ECC memory support listed as false. The Threadripper uses DDR4 in quad-channel mode, while the i5-4570 uses DDR3 in dual-channel mode.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The Threadripper 2990WX belongs to the AMD 2000 series with a Zen+ architecture (Colfax), while the i5-4570 uses the Haswell architecture. Manufacturing nodes are 12 nm for AMD (GlobalFoundries) and 22 nm for Intel. Transistor counts are 19,200 million versus 1,400 million, and die sizes are 4x 213 mm² versus 177 mm².

Core and thread counts differ by a factor of eight and sixteen respectively: 32 cores/64 threads for the Threadripper, 4 cores/4 threads for the i5-4570. Base clocks are 3.00 GHz vs 3.20 GHz, while boost clocks are 4.20 GHz vs 3.60 GHz. TDPs are 250 W vs 84 W. Sockets are AMD Socket SP3r2 vs Intel Socket 1150.

Cache configurations diverge significantly: L1 cache is 96 KB per core vs 64 KB per core, L2 is 512 KB per core vs 256 KB per core, and L3 is 64 MB vs 6 MB (shared). Memory support is DDR4 quad-channel with 93.9 GB/s bandwidth for the Threadripper versus DDR3 dual-channel with no listed bandwidth for the i5-4570. PCIe is Gen 3 with 60 lanes (CPU only) for the AMD part versus Gen 3 with no lane count for the Intel part. The i5-4570 has integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600); the Threadripper has none.

The Threadripper has an unlocked multiplier, a part number of YD299XAZUIHAF, and a launch MSRP of $1799. The i5-4570 has a locked multiplier, part number SR14E, and no launch MSRP listed. The Threadripper’s release date is 2018-08-12, while the i5-4570’s is 2013-06-01. The Threadripper’s production status is Active; the i5-4570’s is not specified.