If you're considering an upgrade to AMD's latest offerings, now is an excellent time to make the switch. Alongside the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which was released earlier this year, AMD has introduced its higher-end Ryzen 9 siblings in the Zen 5 "X3D" lineup: the 9950X3D at $699 and the 9900X3D at $599. These processors are hailed as the top gaming chips available from both AMD and Intel. For those focused purely on gaming, the 9800X3D is the best value, allowing you to allocate more funds to other components. However, if you're a creator who also enjoys gaming and has a larger budget, the new Ryzen 9 processors offer significant performance improvements due to their higher core count and increased cache.
Note: These processors are frequently in and out of stock, with limited availability.
The Creator's Choice: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU
### AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D AM5 Desktop Processor
$699.00 at Amazon
$699.00 at Best Buy
$699.00 at Newegg
Creative professionals who also demand the best gaming performance should consider the Ryzen 9 9950X3D without hesitation. This powerhouse CPU features a max boost clock of 5.7GHz, 16 cores, 32 threads, and a massive 144MB of L2-L3 cache. While its gaming performance edges out the 9800X3D by just a few percentage points, it significantly outpaces both the other Zen 5 X3D chips and Intel's offerings in productivity tasks.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D stands out as one of the most powerful gaming processors currently available, yet it doesn't dominate every category. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D, priced at a more affordable $479, is sufficient for most users. The 9950X3D shines for gamers who also use creative applications like Photoshop and Premiere, where it shows a 15% performance increase over the 9800X3D. For a gaming-focused build, however, the savings could be better spent on a superior graphics card."
The Gamer's Choice: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU
### AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D AM5 Desktop Processor
$479.00 at Amazon
$479.00 at Best Buy
$479.00 at Newegg
AMD's X3D series processors are optimized for gaming, thanks to the innovative 3D V-Cache technology. All three CPUs feature this technology on a single CCD, resulting in similar gaming performance across the board, with minor differences attributable to clock speeds. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers a max boost clock of 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 threads, and 104MB of L2-L3 cache. While it can handle multitasking, rendering, and creative work, its core count limits its prowess in these areas. However, for gaming, especially at this price point, it's an exceptional choice.
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers stellar gaming performance, making it a top recommendation over other recent processors like the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K or Ryzen 9 9900X. When paired with a high-end graphics card, the 9800X3D maximizes GPU performance, making it an ideal choice for gaming enthusiasts."
The Middleman: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D CPU
### AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D AM5 Desktop Processor
$599.00 at Amazon
$599.00 at Best Buy
$599.00 at Newegg
The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is the ideal choice for those who balance creative work with gaming but need to stay within a budget. It offers a max boost clock of 5.5GHz, 12 cores, 24 threads, and 140MB of L2-L3 cache. While we haven't reviewed this model yet, its specifications suggest it will fall between the 9950X3D and 9800X3D in productivity and multi-core performance. For gaming, it's expected to perform similarly to the other two.
AMD is on a Hot Streak with its New CPUs and GPUs
If you've been holding off on Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs to evaluate AMD's latest, you've made a wise decision. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards are setting new standards in the mid-range market. They deliver outstanding performance at a lower cost than Nvidia's counterparts. The Radeon RX 9070 starts at $550, and the 9070 XT at $600, though prices may vary due to manufacturer adjustments. Check out our Radeon RX 9070 GPU review and Radeon RX 9070 XT GPU review for detailed benchmarks.
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