AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X vs Intel Core i7-14701E Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a decisive picture: the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X wins all 17 recorded head-to-head comparisons against the Intel Core i7-14701E. The magnitude of the victory varies dramatically by workload, from a modest single-thread edge to overwhelming multi-thread and data-processing leads.

The closest contest is in single-thread performance. In PassMark single-thread tests, the Threadripper 9980X scores 4537 against 4305 for the i7-14701E, a 5.4% advantage. This is the only benchmark where the two processors are in the same performance band. The Cinebench single-core results tell a very different story, however. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part scores 18427 versus 3133 for Intel, a 488.2% delta. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R15 single-core (1857 vs 315, 489.5%) and Cinebench R20 single-core (7739 vs 1315, 488.5%). The database shows the Threadripper at roughly 5.9 times the Intel chip's score in each Cinebench single-core test, a consistently wide margin that points to a substantial per-thread advantage in that rendering workload.

Multi-core Cinebench results follow the same trajectory. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Threadripper 9980X records 130529 points against 22195 for the i7-14701E, a 488.1% delta. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 54822 versus 9321 (488.2%), and Cinebench R15 multi-core shows 13157 versus 2237 (488.2%). These figures put the AMD processor at roughly 5.9 times the Intel score, which aligns with the core-count difference of 64 versus 8 cores.

The PassMark suite reveals where the Threadripper's scaling becomes extreme. The largest single delta appears in PassMark extended instructions, where the AMD chip scores 228959 against 18528, a 1135.7% advantage. PassMark data encryption shows 157137 versus 14862, a 957.3% delta. Integer math delivers 872071 against 81325, a 972.3% lead. Floating-point math records 559003 versus 61873, an 803.5% delta. Data compression reaches 2974534 versus 282939, a 951.3% lead, and random string sorting shows 292083 versus 29158, a 901.7% delta.

Other PassMark sub-tests show narrower but still decisive leads. PassMark multi-thread scores 141641 against 26112, a 442.4% delta. Find prime numbers records 769 versus 176, a 336.9% lead. Physics shows 8001 versus 2399, a 233.5% delta. The smallest multi-thread margin is still a 233.5% advantage for AMD. Across the entire benchmark set, the Threadripper 9980X holds an average benchmark score of 321753, placing it in the 99th percentile of all CPUs. The Core i7-14701E averages 33206, in the 83rd percentile.

The nearest rival data adds context. The Threadripper 9980X sits just 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX, 2% ahead of the Intel Xeon 6781P, 3.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9575F, and 3.6% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9734. These are all close competitors at the top of the desktop and workstation stack. The Core i7-14701E, by contrast, trades blows with mobile-class parts: it matches the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H (0% delta), trails the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS by 0.1%, sits 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX, and 0.4% ahead of the Intel Core i7-13650HX. The two processors occupy entirely different performance strata.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X has an average benchmark score of 321753, while the Intel Core i7-14701E records 33206. The AMD part also ranks in the 99th percentile of all CPUs, versus the 83rd percentile for Intel.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two?

A: The biggest delta is in PassMark extended instructions, where the Threadripper 9980X scores 228959 versus 18528 for the i7-14701E, a 1135.7% advantage. The second largest is PassMark integer math at 972.3%.

Q: Are the two processors close in single-thread performance?

A: In PassMark single-thread, yes: the Threadripper 9980X scores 4537 and the i7-14701E scores 4305, a 5.4% delta. But in Cinebench single-core tests, the AMD part leads by roughly 488% across R15, R20, and R23.

Q: How does the Threadripper 9980X compare to its nearest rivals?

A: It is 0.3% ahead of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX, 2% ahead of the Intel Xeon 6781P, 3.2% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9575F, and 3.6% ahead of the AMD EPYC 9734.

Q: How does the Core i7-14701E compare to its nearest rivals?

A: It matches the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 6950H (0% delta), trails the AMD Ryzen 5 8645HS by 0.1%, leads the AMD Ryzen 7 7745HX by 0.3%, and leads the Intel Core i7-13650HX by 0.4%.

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X provides 64 cores and 128 threads. The Intel Core i7-14701E provides 8 cores and 16 threads.

The Verdict

The data points to two processors built for different roles. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X dominates every benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, with its smallest win still a 5.4% single-thread margin and its largest a 1135.7% lead in extended instructions. It sits in the 99th percentile of all CPUs and competes directly with workstation-class parts like the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9985WX, Xeon 6781P, and EPYC 9575F.

The Intel Core i7-14701E, by contrast, sits in the 83rd percentile and its nearest rivals are mobile and mid-range desktop processors. Its strongest result relative to the AMD part is PassMark single-thread, where it trails by only 5.4%. In multi-threaded workloads, the gap widens to several hundred percent. The data indicates that the Threadripper 9980X is the choice for heavily parallel workloads, while the i7-14701E belongs in systems where its lower core count and 65 W TDP fit a different power and thermal envelope.

Specification Differences

The two processors diverge on nearly every major specification. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses 64 cores and 128 threads, while the Intel Core i7-14701E uses 8 cores and 16 threads. Base clocks differ: 3.20 GHz for AMD versus 2.60 GHz for Intel. Boost clocks match at 5.40 GHz for both. Thermal design power is 350 W for the Threadripper and 65 W for the Core i7.

Memory configuration separates them clearly. The AMD part supports DDR5 over a quad-channel bus with 204.8 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel part supports DDR4 and DDR5 over a dual-channel bus, with no recorded bandwidth figure. Both support ECC memory. PCIe lane counts differ substantially: the Threadripper 9980X provides Gen 5 with 80 CPU lanes, while the Core i7-14701E provides Gen 5 with 16 CPU lanes.

The Threadripper 9980X has no integrated graphics, while the Core i7-14701E includes UHD Graphics 770. The AMD processor has an unlocked multiplier; the Intel part does not. The Threadripper uses AMD Socket sTR5 and the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1700. Release dates differ: the Threadripper launched on 2025-07-29, the Core i7 on 2024-06-30. The database lists a launch MSRP of $4999 for the Threadripper 9980X; no launch MSRP is recorded for the Core i7-14701E. The AMD part is in the 9000 series with part number 100-000001593, and the Intel part is in Core 14th Gen with part number Q49FSRNJK.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is fundamental. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9980X uses Zen 5 architecture under the codename Shimada Peak, part of the Ryzen Threadripper generation built on a 4 nm process from TSMC. The Intel Core i7-14701E uses Raptor Lake architecture under the codename Raptor Lake-R, part of the Core i7 generation built on a 10 nm process from Intel.

Cache organization reflects the core-count gap. The Threadripper 9980X has 64 KB of L1 per core, 1 MB of L2 per core, and 256 MB of L3 cache. The Core i7-14701E has 80 KB of L1 per core, 2 MB of L2 per core, and 33 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD processor's total L3 of 256 MB is roughly 7.8 times the Intel part's 33 MB.

Die and transistor data is incomplete for the Intel chip. The Threadripper 9980X has 66,520 million transistors across 8 chip dies of 70.6 mm² each. The Core i7-14701E has a 257 mm² die with no transistor count recorded. The Threadripper's multi-die design with 64 Zen 5 cores explains its extreme multi-thread scores, while the Intel part's 10 nm monolithic die with 8 cores targets a lower power envelope of 65 W. Both processors are listed as Active in production status and target the desktop market segment.