PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-1135G7

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 350W, a 335W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU), while Ryzen Threadripper 9970X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (5,183 vs 76,136).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 92 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1449 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper 9970X moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +111.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 92 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1449 and DDR4.
✅475% more PCIe lanes (92 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $2,499 MSRP, while Core i5-1135G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2233.3% higher power demand at 350W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1135G7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-1135G7

2020

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 350W, a 335W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU), while Ryzen Threadripper 9970X needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +111.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 32 cores / 64 threads, plus 92 PCIe lanes vs 16.
✅Newer platform on sTR5 with DDR5 support instead of FCBGA1449 and DDR4.
✅475% more PCIe lanes (92 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Cinebench R23 multi-core (5,183 vs 76,136).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Ryzen Threadripper 9970X, which brings 32 cores / 64 threads and 92 PCIe lanes.
❌Older platform position on FCBGA1449 with DDR4, while Ryzen Threadripper 9970X moves to sTR5 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $2,499 MSRP, while Core i5-1135G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2233.3% higher power demand at 350W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-1135G7 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen Threadripper 9970X better than Core i5-1135G7?

Not in a simple one-size-fits-all way. Ryzen Threadripper 9970X makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Core i5-1135G7 is the better mainstream desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and day-to-day practicality.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 111.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests. It also has a big cache advantage at 128 MB vs 8 MB.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the better fit. You are getting 1369% better Cinebench R23 multi-core, backed by 32 cores and 64 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 1500% larger total L3 cache (128 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is at an unclear MSRP at $2,499 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 111.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (43.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2020), a healthier platform with sTR5 and DDR5 instead of FCBGA1449, 3D V-Cache and a much larger 128 MB L3 cache instead of 8 MB, and more multi-core headroom with 32 cores / 64 threads instead of 4/8. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-1135G7 Benchmark Check

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	168 FPS	314 FPS
medium	137 FPS	289 FPS
high	107 FPS	240 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	145 FPS	278 FPS
medium	118 FPS	231 FPS
high	91 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	158 FPS
4K
low	68 FPS	191 FPS
medium	59 FPS	158 FPS
high	46 FPS	121 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i5-1135G7 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	153 FPS	818 FPS
medium	129 FPS	697 FPS
high	118 FPS	542 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	472 FPS
1440p
low	135 FPS	674 FPS
medium	115 FPS	599 FPS
high	107 FPS	480 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	388 FPS
4K
low	106 FPS	377 FPS
medium	93 FPS	339 FPS
high	80 FPS	310 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	271 FPS

Open Core i5-1135G7 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	235 FPS	891 FPS
medium	235 FPS	723 FPS
high	235 FPS	649 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	552 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	714 FPS
medium	235 FPS	580 FPS
high	235 FPS	508 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	427 FPS
4K
low	235 FPS	508 FPS
medium	235 FPS	419 FPS
high	235 FPS	375 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	311 FPS

Open Core i5-1135G7 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
1080p
low	235 FPS	1116 FPS
medium	235 FPS	1002 FPS
high	235 FPS	879 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	792 FPS
1440p
low	235 FPS	872 FPS
medium	235 FPS	768 FPS
high	235 FPS	674 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	587 FPS
4K
low	235 FPS	636 FPS
medium	235 FPS	568 FPS
high	235 FPS	504 FPS
ultra	235 FPS	437 FPS

Open Core i5-1135G7 Open Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1135G7 and Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

Core i5-1135G7

The Core i5-1135G7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 September 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1449. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 9,414 points. Launch price was $309.

Ryzen Threadripper 9970X

The Ryzen Threadripper 9970X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 30 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Shimada Peak (2025) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 5.4 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: sTR5. Thermal design power (TDP): 350 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 108,377 points. Launch price was $2,499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-1135G7 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X has 28 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Core i5-1135G7 versus 5.4 GHz on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X — a 25% clock advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X (base: 1.5 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-1135G7 uses the Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021) architecture (10 nm SuperFin), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X uses Shimada Peak (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1135G7 scores 9,414 against the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X's 108,377 — a 168% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 5,183 vs 76,136 (174.5% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 1,592 vs 3,220, a 67.7% lead for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 4,495 vs 29,244 (146.7% advantage for the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i5-1135G7 vs 128 MB (total) on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X.

Feature	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	32 / 64+700%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	5.4 GHz+29%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	4 GHz+167%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	128 MB (total)+1500%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+25%	1 MB (per core)
Process	10 nm SuperFin	4 nm-60%
Architecture	Tiger Lake-UP3 (2020−2021)	Shimada Peak (2025)
PassMark	9,414	108,377+1051%
Cinebench R23 Multi	5,183	76,136+1369%
Geekbench 6 Single	1,592	3,220+102%
Geekbench 6 Multi	4,495	29,244+551%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1135G7 uses the FCBGA1449 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X uses sTR5 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267 on the Core i5-1135G7 versus DDR5-6400 on the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X — the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X supports 22.2% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-1135G7 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 1 TB — 193.8% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Core i5-1135G7) vs 4 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i5-1135G7) vs 92 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X) — the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X offers 76 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (Core i5-1135G7) and TRX50 (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X).

Feature	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Socket	FCBGA1449	sTR5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-3200, LPDDR4x-4267	DDR5-6400+25%
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	1 TB+1500%
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	92+475%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-1135G7) vs AMD-V, SVM (Ryzen Threadripper 9970X). The Core i5-1135G7 includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU)), while the Ryzen Threadripper 9970X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-1135G7 targets Productivity, Ryzen Threadripper 9970X targets HEDT / Workstation. Direct competitor: Core i5-1135G7 rivals Ryzen 5 5500U; Ryzen Threadripper 9970X rivals Xeon w7-3465X.

Feature	Core i5-1135G7	Ryzen Threadripper 9970X
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Iris Xe Graphics (80 EU)	—
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	VT-x, VT-d, EPT	AMD-V, SVM
Target Use	Productivity	HEDT / Workstation