If you're considering an upgrade to AMD's latest offerings, now is an excellent time to dive in. Alongside the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which was released earlier this year, AMD has introduced its top-tier Ryzen 9 processors in the Zen 5 "X3D" lineup: the 9950X3D, priced at $699, and the 9900X3D, available for $599. These processors stand out as the best gaming chips on the market, outpacing even Intel's offerings. If you're purely focused on gaming, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers exceptional value, allowing you to allocate savings elsewhere. However, if you're a creator with a budget for high performance and enjoy gaming, the new Ryzen 9 processors will provide a significant boost thanks to their higher core count and increased cache.
Note: These processors are frequently in and out of stock, and unfortunately, they're mostly out of stock.
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 look no further than the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. This powerhouse boasts a max boost clock of 5.7GHz, 16 cores, 32 threads, and a massive 144MB of L2-L3 cache. While it offers only a marginal improvement over the 9800X3D in gaming, it significantly outperforms other Zen 5 X3D chips and Intel's processors in productivity tasks.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the most powerful gaming processor currently available, yet it doesn't dominate every chip on the market. For most gamers, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, priced at $479, is more than sufficient. However, the 9950X3D is perfect for those who both play games and use creative applications like Photoshop and Premiere, where it shows a 15% performance increase over the 9800X3D. For a pure gaming build, though, consider saving the $220 for a better 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 their 3D V-Cache technology. Since all three CPUs feature the 3D V-Cache on a single CCD, gaming performance is similar across the board, with minor differences due to clock speed variations. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with its max boost clock of 5.2GHz, 8 cores, 16 threads, and 104MB of L2-L3 cache, is an excellent choice for gamers. While it can handle multitasking, rendering, and creation, its core count limits its suitability for these tasks. At this price, it's an unbeatable option for gaming enthusiasts.
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D excels in gaming, making it a top recommendation over recent processors like the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K or Ryzen 9 9900X. If you're pairing it with a powerful graphics card, the 9800X3D will maximize your GPU's performance."
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 ideal for creatives who enjoy gaming but need to stick to a budget that the 9950X3D exceeds. With a max boost clock of 5.5GHz, 12 cores, 24 threads, and 140MB of L2-L3 cache, it's expected to offer performance between the 9950X3D and 9800X3D for productivity tasks. In gaming, performance is likely to be comparable to its siblings.
AMD is on a Hot Streak with its New CPUs and GPUs
If you held off on Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs to see what AMD had in store, you've made a wise decision. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards are the new mid-range champions, offering exceptional performance at a lower price point than their Nvidia counterparts. The Radeon RX 9070 starts at $550, while the 9070 XT starts 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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