It isn’t news that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D made huge waves upon its release. It offers exceptional performance and can be overclocked, which enabled it to take the title for the best gaming processor from the Ryzen 7 7800X3D; however, with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D announced, the reign of 9800X3D might be over!
We’ve reviewed the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, and once we have the 9950X3D in-house, we’ll put it through its paces in our PC Guide Testing Lab and update this article with its real-world performance. That being said, we do have some information thanks to AMD’s CES presentation, which we’ll use to gauge how different these processors are from each other.
So let’s take a closer look at what we know so far, and if the Ryzen 9 9950X3D could truly leave the 9800X3D in the dust.
Spec comparison
We’ve listed their specifications below to see the hardware difference between the two processors.
| CPU | Ryzen 9 9950X3D | Ryzen 7 9800X3D |
| Architecture | Zen 5 | Zen 5 |
| Socket | AM5 | AM5 |
| Process | TSMC 4nm FinFET | TSMC 4nm FinFET |
| Cores | 16 | 8 |
| Threads | 32 | 16 |
| Base clock speed | 4.3 GHz | 4.7 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 5.7 GHz | 5.2 GHz |
| L3 cache | 144 MB | 96 MB |
| TDP | 170W | 120W |
| Integrated graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics | AMD Radeon Graphics |
Since these processors belong to the same family, there isn’t a fundamental difference between them. However, since one is a Ryzen 9 processor, it has more cores and threads to work with and a much higher L3 cache capacity. Besides that, the Ryzen 7 has a much lower TDP, given its comparatively fewer cores.
Clock speed
The first difference between these processors is the clock speed. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has a 4.7 GHz base clock speed, which is 0.4 GHz faster than the 9950X3D. However, the 9950X3D has a 0.5 GHz faster boost clock of 5.7 GHz compared to the 9800X3D’s 5.2 GHz.
That being said, the 9950X3D has the edge in boost clock speed. It might seem like the 9800X3D has a better base clock speed, which would give it an advantage, but the 9950X3D has twice the cores working at 5.2 GHz, which should result in a significant performance gap, something that even overclocking the 9800X3D wouldn’t be able to bridge.
Cores and threads
There is no comparison between the two processors regarding cores and threads, as the 9950X3D has double the amount, meaning it can handle multi-threaded tasks much better than the 9800X3D.
As for single-core performance, both of these CPUs have the same architecture and CPU processes, meaning we can expect somewhat similar performance, but the 9950X3D has a higher boost clock speed and, in gaming, should have the edge due to its massive 3D V-Cache.
L3 cache
The L3 cache is what the X3D processors are all about, and there is a huge difference in the capacity of these CPUs’ L3 caches. The 9950X3D boasts a humongous 144 MB L3 cache, while the 9800X3D has 96 MB.
So, while there isn’t a difference in architecture or technology between these CPUs, the sheer capacity should give the 9950X3D much better gaming performance and any other tasks that can use a higher L3 cache capacity.
TDP
Unsurprisingly, the 9950X3D has a higher TDP of 170W than the 9800X3D’s 120W, as it has double the cores operating at a much faster boost clock. That being said, during our testing of the 9950X, enabling PBO ramped up its thermal output to the point that even the AIO cooler couldn’t keep up with it.
So, with the 9950X3D also being able to be overclocked, that is something that you’ll have to consider, as a high-end CPU needs a robust CPU cooler. On the other hand, we didn’t run into such issues with the 9800X3D, and if you’re considering this processor, we recommend checking out some of the best CPU coolers for it.
Ryzen 9 9950X3D expected price
We won’t have to wait much longer before we get the official price of the 9950X3D, but based on previous releases and pricing history, we can make an educated guess. The Ryzen 9 9950X was released with a $649 price tag.
If we go back a generation, the 7950X and 7950X3D both had an MRSP of $699. So, we expected the Ryzen 9 9950X3D to range between $649 and $699.
Which CPU should you get?
Currently, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the best gaming processor, although AMD claims that 9950X3D will take over that title and be an excellent chip for content creation. We know for sure that the 9800X3D has excellent gaming performance and productivity due to the changes in its design.
That being said, the 9950X3D, like the 9950X, should be excellent for severely resource-intensive tasks, and the larger L3 cache should also give it an edge in gaming performance, but for the casual user, it is most likely overkill as all the overhead and performance can’t be utilized unless you’re squeezing it out.
So, if you’re short on cash and want a gaming processor that can handle pretty much anything you throw at it, the 9800X3D is the way to go, but if you’re a hardware enthusiast and want the best of the best, the 9950X3D should serve you well.
