Pepper X vs Ghost Pepper
Pepper X is hotter, at about 2,693,000 SHU against 1,001,304 SHU for Ghost Pepper: about 2.7× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 2.6× to 3.1×.
Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify
Side by side
| Pepper X | Ghost Pepper | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical heat | 2,693,000 SHU | 1,001,304 SHU |
| Measured range | 2,693,000 SHU | 855,000–1,041,427 SHU |
| Status | Guinness record | Lab tested |
| Species | Capsicum chinense | Capsicum chinense (with RAPD evidence of introgression from C. frutescens) |
| Origin | Fort Mill, South Carolina, USA | Northeast India: Assam, Nagaland and Manipur (also Meghalaya, Mizoram and the Sylhet region of Bangladesh) |
| Flavour | Not documented | Not documented |
| Colours | Not documented | red (ripe), green (unripe) |
The Scoville maths
The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 2,693,000 ÷ 1,001,304 ≈ 2.7×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (2.6× to 3.1× across the measured ranges).
In between
11 peppers sit between Ghost Pepper and Pepper X by typical heat.
- Dragon's Breath2,480,000 SHU
- Carolina Reaper1,641,183 SHU
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch T1,463,700 SHU
- 7 Pot Primo1,400,000 SHU
- Komodo Dragon1,400,000 SHU
- Naga Viper1,382,118 SHU
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion1,200,000 SHU
- Infinity1,176,182 SHU
About each pepper
Pepper X: Bred by Ed Currie (PuckerButt Pepper Company), who also bred the Carolina Reaper.
Ghost Pepper: A traditional landrace of Northeast India.
Questions
Which is hotter, Pepper X or Ghost Pepper?
Pepper X. It averages about 2,693,000 SHU against 1,001,304 SHU for Ghost Pepper, about 2.7× as hot.
How many times hotter is Pepper X than Ghost Pepper?
About 2.7× using typical values (2,693,000 ÷ 1,001,304). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 2.6× to 3.1×.
How hot is Pepper X?
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHU, guinness record.
How hot is Ghost Pepper?
Ghost Pepper: 855,000–1,041,427 SHU, lab tested.
Are Pepper X and Ghost Pepper the same species?
No. Pepper X is Capsicum chinense; Ghost Pepper is Capsicum chinense (with RAPD evidence of introgression from C. frutescens).
People also compare
- Pepper X vs Carolina ReaperPepper X 1.6×
- Carolina Reaper vs Ghost PepperCarolina Reaper 1.6×
- Apollo vs Pepper Xno lab test
- Ghost Pepper vs Trinidad Moruga ScorpionTrinidad Moruga Scorpion 1.2×
- Ghost Pepper vs HabaneroGhost Pepper 4.5×
- Naga Morich vs Ghost Pepperabout the same
- Raja Mircha vs Ghost Peppersame landrace
- Ghost Pepper vs Dalle KhursaniGhost Pepper 2.5×
Sources
- Guinness World Records (record page, archived 19 Sep 2024): Pepper X: SHU average, tester, test date, origin, jalapeno comparison
- Guinness World Records news, 16 Oct 2023: Pepper X: announcement date; specimens from the past four years tested at Winthrop
- Bosland & Baral, HortScience 42(2):222-224 (2007), New Mexico State University: Ghost Pepper: 1,001,304 SHU; method; independent lab values; seed provenance; species; names
- NMSU News Center, 13 Feb 2012 (Chile Pepper Institute study by Bosland, Coon, Reeves): Ghost Pepper: Guinness certification in 2007; 2012 mean of almost 1.02M
Full source lists are on each pepper's page.