AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D assessment: A no-compromise CPU for demanding players

How can we push CPUs ahead? That is the query the computing business has been asking for the reason that Intel 4004 processor launched in 1971. Chipmakers have tried cranking up clock speeds, including a number of cores and miniaturizing chip architectures to make them sooner and extra environment friendly. The battle between RISC and CISC chip instruction units (ISAs) — “diminished” designs versus “advanced” ones — rages on to this present day with RISC-V.

For the previous few years, AMD has been exploring a novel method to dashing up a few of its processors with 3D V-Cache, a know-how that stacks extra L3 cache on high of Ryzen cores. By doing so, the corporate avoids crowding the 2D aircraft of its chips, and it is capable of cram in additional reminiscence with out making its CPUs bigger. With the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, AMD has now advanced 3D V-Cache to the purpose the place each hardcore gamer will need one — even when few folks really need a $700 CPU.

3D V-Cache first appeared within the Ryzen 5800X3D in 2022, and AMD introduced it to laptops in 2023. Whereas there have been some apparent downsides initially — the 5800X3D had slower clock speeds than the usual Ryzen 5800 — AMD has steadily improved the know-how. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Ryzen 9 7900X3D have been each notable for reaching the identical most clock speeds as their 2D counterparts. Whereas AMD’s second-generation 3D V-Cache know-how is not as large of a leap within the 9950X3D (and different latest chips just like the 9900X3D and 9800X3D), the corporate has managed to beat the few compromises it is needed to make thus far. Merely put, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a beast of a CPU for gaming and productiveness work alike.

What’s new within the Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

The 9950X3D is a 16-core processor with a 4.3GHz base clock velocity and a lift velocity of 5.7GHz, similar to its 2D sibling the 9950X. The massive distinction between the 2 is of their complete L2 and L3 cache: the 9950X has 80MB, whereas the 3D V-Cache know-how crams 144MB within the 9950X3D. By having extra cache, the 9950X3D is ready to sort out extra processing hundreds with out hitting RAM, which might take eight to 10 instances as lengthy, in response to Robert Hallock, AMD’s director of technical advertising.

The foremost improve within the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, along with being powered by AMD’s new Zen 5 cores, lies within the positioning of its 3D V-Cache layer. Beforehand, it sat on high of Zen 3 and Zen 4 cores, which barely hindered cooling and total efficiency. Now, the 3D V-Cache layer sits beneath the 9950X3D’s Zen 5 cores, which provides these hotter parts direct entry to your CPU fan’s heatsink. The 9950X3D has the identical 170 Watt TDP (Thermal Design Profile) as its 2D variant, so cooling should not be an enormous downside, and in contrast to most different 3D V-Cache chips, it is also totally overclockable.

In-use: An absolute powerhouse

I anticipated the Ryzen 9 9950X3D to wallop each different PC CPU I’ve examined, however I did not anticipate the leap to be so dramatic. Within the Geekbench 6 single-threaded CPU benchmark, it was 20 % sooner than the Ryzen 9 7900X I used to be beforehand utilizing. The 9950X3D was additionally 33 % sooner in the identical benchmark’s multi-threaded check. (I did not have a 7950X3D for direct comparability, however based mostly on a median of scores from 3DMark customers, it hits 14,290 factors. The 9950X3D reached 17,025, or 19 % sooner, in my testing)

I’ve solely seen higher scores from Apple’s {hardware}. The M4 chip is barely sooner for single-threaded duties, whereas the M4 Max and M2 Extremely chips within the Mac Studio trounce AMD’s multi-threaded Geekbench 6 scores. Nonetheless, you might construct a stable Ryzen 9 system for a lot lower than the Mac Studio M4 Max’s $2,000 beginning value, even whereas accounting for the 9950X3D’s $700 price ticket.

Apple would not all the time come out forward. Within the Cinebench 2024 multi-threaded benchmark, the 9950X3D barely surpassed the M4 Max chip. That consequence can be an indication that AMD’s flagship chip might be a giant assist for Home windows-based content material creators. The 9950X3D and the M4 Max each took 14 seconds to transcode a 4K clip into 1080p, which is the quickest consequence we have ever seen.

The foremost attraction of the 9950X3D is that it will additionally have the ability to deal with demanding video games over the following few years with out bottlenecking high-end GPUs like NVIDIA’s RTX 5080 and 5090. On my system, which is utilizing an RTX 5090 and 64GB of RAM, the 9950X3D reached 195 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 whereas taking part in in 1080p with excessive graphics settings. The Ryzen 9 7900X, then again, hit 166 fps with the identical GPU and RAM. You may see much less of a direct uplift at increased resolutions, the place your video card is doing extra of the work. Cyberpunk hit 64 fps in 4K with out DLSS upscaling on the 9950X3D, whereas it struggled to succeed in 56 fps on the 7900X with the identical settings.

For 4K, specifically, the 9950X3D might be helpful for scaling efficiency for screens with sooner refresh charges. On the 7900X, Dragon Age: The Veilguard ran at a easy 250 fps in 4K with graphics settings and body era cranked up, however with the newer chip I noticed 270 fps. When you’re working a 4K 240Hz monitor with a much less highly effective GPU, you’ll possible have a greater shot of edging near 240 fps because of 3D V-Cache.

Given all of its energy, I used to be shocked to seek out that the 9950X3D ran at a comparatively cool 81.5 Celsius at one hundred pc load. It additionally idles between 30C and 35C, relying on what you’re doing. These outcomes are fairly spectacular for a CPU that may push as much as 170 Watts.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Do you have to purchase the Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

Very like NVIDIA’s $2,000 RTX 5090, I can not simply suggest the $700 Ryzen 9 9950X3D to most individuals. Most players would possible be higher off with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which sells for a extra affordable $479. Certain, it has half as many cores, however the majority of titles do not faucet into a lot of these to start with. There’s additionally the $600 12-core 9900X3D, which might be extra helpful for individuals who really need a wholesome quantity of CPU cores.

You may after all contemplate AMD’s present chips with out 3D V-Cache, just like the Ryzen 7 9700X, which has an MSRP of $359 however is at present promoting for underneath $300. However should you’re already available in the market for an costly video card, it is possible value paying a bit additional to get extra L3 cache. When AMD first debuted the 5800X3D, the corporate claimed 3D V-Cache alone boosted 1080p efficiency by 15 %. As video games get extra advanced and demanding, having extra obtainable cache might be much more helpful. (And it is also simpler to pay extra for a greater chip now than shopping for a brand new one in a number of years.)

As for Intel, it solely has plans to convey its model of the know-how, dubbed Native Cache, to next-generation Xeon server chips, in response to der8auer and Bens {Hardware} (through Tom’s {Hardware}). Intel’s present high-end desktop chip, the 24-core i9-14900K, is not any gaming slouch, nevertheless it’s saddled with simply 36MB of L3 cache.

Wrap-up

If something, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is one more signal that AMD is on a scorching streak. After releasing a pair of fantastic midrange GPUs, which confirmed that the corporate can genuinely go toe-to-toe with NVIDIA, this CPU and its accompanying 3D V-Cache know-how is a reminder of how AMD is way forward of Intel in some ways. And let’s not overlook that it was additionally the primary x86 chipmaker to incorporate NPUs in laptop computer and desktop CPUs. Whereas it’s definitely not the very best deal round, should you can afford it, the 9950X3D is the very best desktop CPU you should purchase right this moment.

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