AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D, hot on the heels of its Ryzen 7 9800X3D sibling, brings 3D V-Cache technology to a 16-core, 32-thread powerhouse. While undeniably overkill for most gamers, it effortlessly keeps pace with high-end graphics cards like the Nvidia RTX 5090 and beyond. However, this extreme performance comes at a premium: a $699 price tag and a 170W power draw make it a tough sell unless you're building a truly top-tier (and expensive) gaming rig. For most, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers superior value.

Purchasing Guide

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D launched March 12th, with a starting price of $699. This is a suggested retail price; actual pricing may vary based on market demand.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D – Photos

Specs and Features

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D leverages the same Zen 5 cores as the standard 9950X, enhanced by 2nd-generation 3D V-Cache, mirroring the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. This combination delivers exceptional multi-core performance alongside boosted gaming capabilities thanks to the expanded cache. A key difference from its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, is the 3D V-Cache's placement: now situated directly beneath the CPU cores instead of above. This seemingly minor adjustment significantly impacts thermal performance. The Core Complex Die (CCD), the primary heat source, is closer to the Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS), facilitating more efficient heat dissipation. AMD's performance algorithms utilize this improved thermal headroom, allowing the 9950X3D to run faster and longer.

The cache's location offers benefits beyond thermal improvements. Reduced data travel distance translates to lower latency. The increased space allows for a massive 144MB of combined L2 and L3 cache—identical to the last-generation Ryzen 9 7950X3D and far exceeding non-X3D processors.

Both the Ryzen 9 9950X and 9950X3D share a 170W TDP, although the 9950X boasts a higher potential PPT. Testing revealed both processors peaking around 200W, but the 9950X3D maintained a lower peak temperature (79°C during testing), though tested on a different cooler than the 9950X. Compatibility is ensured with any AM5 AMD motherboard, benefiting from AMD's commitment to AM5 support until at least 2027.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D – Benchmarks

Performance

All CPUs underwent testing on identical hardware, except for the Ryzen 9 9950X (Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero motherboard, Corsair H170i 360mm AIO cooler). While this hardware difference impacts results, the effect is likely minor, especially given stock settings. A future update will address this variation.

AMD Test Bench: GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090; Motherboard: Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero; RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo @ 6,000MHz; SSD: 1TB PNY CS3140 Gen4x4 NVMe SSD; CPU Cooler: Asus ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB Extreme

Intel Test Bench: GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090; Motherboard: Asus ROG Maximus Z890 Hero (200S); Asus Prime Z790-A (14th-Gen); RAM: 32GB Corsair Vengeance DDR5 @ 6,000MHz; SSD: PNY CS3140 1TB Gen 4 x 4 NVMe SSD; CPU Cooler: Asus ROG Ryujin III 360 ARGB Extreme

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D's 16 cores, 32 threads, and substantial 144MB cache deliver exceptional power. It excels even in creative benchmarks where the 9800X3D lags, consistently matching top-tier processors. Surprisingly, the 9950X3D holds its own against the 9800X3D in single-core tasks, showing a 10% improvement in Cinebench 1T (2,254 vs 2,033 points) and nearing the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K in 3DMark CPU Profile (1,280 vs 1,351 points). Multi-threaded performance is significantly stronger, scoring 40,747 points in Cinebench's multi-core test. While slightly trailing the 9950X (41,123 points) and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (42,245 points) in some multi-threaded applications, the gaming performance gains justify the trade-off.

Gaming benchmarks show impressive results: 274 fps in Total War: Warhammer 3 (1080p, Ultra) surpassing both the 9800X3D (254 fps) and Core Ultra 9 285K (255 fps). Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p, Ultra, ray tracing off) yielded 229 fps, slightly lower than the 9800X3D's 240 fps, but still significantly faster than the Intel processor's 165 fps.

Overkill?

While the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is currently the market's most powerful gaming CPU, it doesn't automatically outperform all competitors. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D provides excellent value at a significantly lower price ($479). The 9950X3D is best suited for users needing both gaming and creative application performance (e.g., Photoshop, Premiere), offering a 15% improvement over the 9800X3D in such tasks. For pure gaming, investing the extra $220 in a better graphics card might be a wiser choice.