AMD’s flagship Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU thrashes Intel’s best, and one exclusive feature makes all the difference

1) The rapid success of AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU launch in November 2024 is no exaggeration; it quickly sold out everywhere, and even now, a few months later, it remains difficult to find at a reasonable price. AMD delivers positive news for desktop gamers and creators at CES 2025, as they continue to enjoy the advantages of AMD’s 3D V-Cache and Zen 5 architecture.

2) The launch of AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU in November 2024 was more successful than words can say; it instantly sold out everywhere, and even after a couple of months, it’s still tough to find at a reasonable price. At CES 2025, AMD shares good news for desktop gamers and creators who appreciate the perks of AMD’s 3D V-Cache and Zen 5 architecture.

Both versions convey the same message in a natural and easy-to-read manner.

Today, it was revealed that two fresh Ryzen 9 processors featuring second-generation V-Cache have hit the market. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is garnering most of the buzz due to its impressive 16 cores and a generous 144MB cache, but the less flashy Ryzen 9 9900X3D isn’t lagging behind, boasting 12 cores and an equally substantial 140MB cache.

The CPUs are anticipated to debut in Q1 2025, and based on AMD’s demonstrations, the 9950X3D appears to be the top-tier choice for gamers who also engage in creative work using applications like Adobe, Davinci, Blender, and others.

AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D shouldn’t threaten the 9800X3D’s gaming supremacy

The upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D boasts an impressive configuration: 16 cores, 32 threads, and a substantial 144MB cache memory. It has a base power consumption of 170W TDP, and can turbocharge up to 5.7GHz at max boost. This new processor doubles the cores and threads compared to our current gaming leader, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, but don’t anticipate a significant leap in pure gaming performance when it arrives.

According to AMD, the performance gap between the 9800X3D and 9950X3D for gaming is minimal, approximately 1%. Although AMD has declared the Ryzen 9 9950X3D as “the world’s best gaming processor,” the differences in everyday gaming performance won’t be substantial enough to discern during actual gameplay.

Let’s examine the unprocessed details of the latest 9950X3D model, along with its closely related counterpart, the 9900X3D (which I delve deeper into later), and the well-known Ryzen 7 9800X3D that hit the market just two months ago.

Significant performance gains compared to Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K

As an avid tech enthusiast, I’ve been marveling at the latest AMD CPUs sporting the “X3D” moniker. Let me explain why this intrigues me. The “X3D” stands for the integration of 3D V-Cache technology, a feature exclusively found in AMD’s high-performance processors. Unlike traditional horizontal storage, AMD vertically stacks the processor’s cache directly on the die, thereby increasing the cache space and reducing latency. This innovative approach translates into a substantial improvement in gaming performance.

Using the innovative Zen 5 architecture found in AMD’s recent processors, the 3D V-Cache is now strategically placed beneath the CPU cores for enhanced cooling efficiency. This is a significant step in AMD’s strategy to increase power without letting temperatures spiral out of control. My personal gaming PC, equipped with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, demonstrates this technology exceptionally well, seldom surpassing 55°C even under intense gaming conditions. It’s truly impressive and directly benefits users like myself.

Regarding the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, AMD incorporates a layered cache to enhance gaming speed, but it also includes an adjacent unstacked cache with max frequency, primarily advantageous for creative tasks. Essentially, AMD applies this concept in its previous Ryzen 9 X3D CPUs, which have long been favored by individuals who enjoy a balance of gaming and creativity.

In comparison to its previous model, the 7950X3D, and Intel’s top-tier Core i9 285K, AMD states that the new 9950X3D delivers a significant performance improvement. On average, it is said to provide an approximately 8% performance increase at 1080p resolution compared to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. However, in the game Counter-Strike 2, its performance soars up to a remarkable 58% enhancement.

As a tech enthusiast, diving into the performance specifics of the Core Ultra 9 285K, AMD claims an impressive 20% average improvement at 1080p across games. What truly catches my eye are some significant leaps in three popular titles:

– Cyberpunk 2077 sees a staggering 36% performance boost
– Far Cry 6 experiences a noteworthy 45% increase
– Watch Dogs: Legion witnesses an astounding 64% improvement

These numbers certainly make me curious about the gaming experience this GPU could offer!

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D extends beyond gaming; according to AMD, it delivers approximately a 13% overall performance boost in commonly used creative applications compared to its predecessor, the 7950X3D. Performance improvements vary moderately, ranging between 4% and 23%.

Compared to the Core Ultra 9 285K, a different system typically shows an overall enhancement of about 10%. Yet, this improvement can vary significantly, ranging from 1% in Cinebench 2024 to as high as 47% in Adobe Photoshop.

Additionally, AMD introduced the Ryzen 9 9900X3D as a companion CPU to the 9950X3D. This processor boasts 12 cores, 24 threads, and a total cache of 140MB. It can reach a maximum boost frequency of 5.5GHz, and it has a more conservative thermal design power (TDP) of 120 watts.

It appears that AMD hasn’t disclosed any pricing details for these upcoming chips, but it’s likely they will cost more than the initial Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $479 for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D are expected to hit the market in Q1 of 2025.

AMD previews RDNA 4 desktop GPUs at CES 2025

The talk about AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT desktop graphics card has been abundant with whispers and sneak peeks, but the company has now confirmed its existence officially.

The RX 9070 XT and its counterpart, the RX 9070, are based on the latest RDNA 4 architecture, which provides enhanced compute units, a revised structure that increases IPC (Instructions Per Clock) and frequency, an upgraded AI processing architecture, and significant advancements in media encoding and decoding capabilities. The RDNA 4 employs a 4nm manufacturing process, featuring AMD’s second-generation AI accelerators, third-generation ray tracing accelerators, and second-generation Radiance Display engine.

AMD has given a lot of attention to AI technology, with their recent reveal of FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4), which coincides with the launch of RDNA 4 cards. Essentially, FSR operates in a manner similar to technologies like NVIDIA’s Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS) and Intel’s XeSS. These technologies are designed to enhance frame rates and video quality within compatible games.

AMD asserts they’ve significantly enhanced performance and quality over previous generations, but we’ll need to test it out ourselves to verify. FSR 4 is anticipated to be exclusive to the RX 9070-series GPUs, and will only function in games that already support FSR 3.2.

It seems fans of Team Red might have spotted a shift in AMD’s graphics processing unit (GPU) naming pattern. Previously, they were accustomed to products like the RX 7900 XT. Given this trend, many anticipated that the RDNA 4 cards would bear names with an 8xxx series.

Instead of mixing things up, AMD decided to align its upcoming graphics processors (GPUs) with its most recent Ryzen processors. The RDNA 3.5 mobile GPUs will retain their 8000-series branding, but in the near future, new GPUs will be labeled as 9000-series.

AMD has announced that it will use the name “RX 9070 XT” for a new graphics card, making it simpler for consumers to compare this card with NVIDIA’s offerings. I imagine an AMD Radeon RX 9070 sitting next to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 5070, and similarly, the XT/Ti versions of both cards positioned side by side, so you can easily understand their relative performance.

Additional details about RDNA 4 will likely surface shortly, as it’s anticipated to debut in the first quarter of 2025. AMD has confirmed that its collaborating partners such as Acer, ASUS, Sapphire, and others are currently manufacturing RX 9000-series desktop graphics cards.

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2025-01-06 23:20