If you're considering joining the AMD community for your next upgrade, there's no better time than now. Alongside the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which was released earlier this year, AMD has now introduced its top-tier Ryzen 9 siblings in the Zen 5 "X3D" lineup: the 9950X3D is available for $699, and the 9900X3D for $599. These processors are considered the pinnacle of gaming performance, outshining even Intel's offerings. For pure gamers, the 9800X3D offers excellent value, allowing you to allocate funds elsewhere. However, for creators who also enjoy gaming and have a larger budget, the new Ryzen 9 processors provide a significant performance boost due to their higher core counts and increased cache.
Note: Be aware that these processors are frequently going in and out of stock, with more time spent 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 seeking the ultimate gaming chip should look no further than the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. With a maximum boost clock of 5.7GHz, 16 cores, 32 threads, and 144MB of L2-L3 cache, this processor is a powerhouse. While it offers only a marginal improvement in gaming performance over the 9800X3D, it excels in productivity tasks, surpassing both the other Zen 5 X3D chips and Intel's offerings.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D might be the most powerful gaming processor available, but it's not universally superior. For most users, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, priced at $479, is more than sufficient. The 9950X3D is ideal for gamers who also use creative applications like Photoshop and Premiere, where it provides a 15% performance increase over the 9800X3D. For a purely gaming-focused PC, however, saving the extra $220 for a better graphics card might be the smarter move."
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 3D V-Cache technology. Since all three CPUs utilize this technology on a single CCD, gaming performance remains consistent across them, with minor variations attributed to clock speeds. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with its 5.2GHz max boost clock, 8 cores, 16 threads, and 104MB of L2-L3 cache, is a formidable gaming processor at this price point. While capable of multitasking and creative tasks, its limited core count makes it less ideal for those purposes.
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers exceptional gaming performance, making it a top recommendation over competitors like the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K or Ryzen 9 9900X. When paired with a powerful graphics card, the 9800X3D maximizes your gaming experience."
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 stick to a budget. 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, it should perform similarly to its siblings.
AMD is on a Hot Streak with its New CPUs and GPUs
If you've been holding off on Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs to see what AMD has to offer, you've made a wise decision. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards are the new mid-range champions, delivering outstanding performance at a lower price than Nvidia's competitors. 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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