AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a high-performance CPU built for intensive activities, including gaming, multimedia production, and data processing. It has 16 processor cores and 32 threads, allowing it to process several requests concurrently and deliver excellent speed and efficiency to its consumers.
The Ryzen 9 7950X3D retails for $699 and is the world’s fastest gaming processor. Although technically impressive, the new 3D-stacked architecture slows down certain productivity programs and doesn’t improve the speed of all games. The 7950X3D is unrivaled in gaming power for high-end computers – by Tomshardware.
In this post, you will find our in-depth analysis of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Its high-performance CPU was built for heavy lifting, making it ideal for data processing, multimedia production, and gaming. It delivers exceptional speed and efficiency because of its 16 processor cores and 32 threads. We shall examine its technical details in depth to help you get more familiar with this processor.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Pros & Cons
Pros
- Superior Gaming Experience
- Technologically-advanced System
- Better assistance for overclocking
- Ultra-efficient, with a low power need
- Suitable efficiency in both single- and multi-threaded workloads
Cons
- The prices are really high.
- This system does not have DDR4 memory support.
- Decreased efficiency in various work apps.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Specifications
AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a high-performance CPU built for intensive activities, including gaming, multimedia production, and data processing. It delivers exceptional speed and efficiency because to its 16 processor cores and 32 threads. The CPU is constructed with two lithographies: TSMC’s 5nm process is used to create the Core Complex Die (CCD), while TSMC’s 6nm process is used to create the Input/Output Die (IOD). The resulting processor is efficient and fast, with a good balance. The processor is among the fastest available, with a base clock frequency of 4.2GHz and a turbo clock frequency of 5.7GHz. The thermal design power of the CPU is 120W, and it is expected to sell for around $699.
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Cores | 16 |
| Threads | 32 |
| Socket | AMD AM5 |
| CCD Lithography | TSMC 5nm |
| CCD Die Size | 70mm² |
| CCD Transistor Count | 6.5 billion |
| IOD Lithography | TSMC 6nm |
| IOD Die Size | 122mm² |
| IOD Transistor Count | 3.4 billion |
| Max Boost Clock | 5.7GHz |
| Base Clock | 4.2GHz |
| L2 Cache | 16MB |
| L3 Cache | 128MB (inc. 64MB L3D) |
| Memory Support | DDR5-5200 (non-OC) |
| TDP | 120W |
| Price | $699 |
AMD’s latest iteration of its 3D V-cache technology, the 7950X3D, greatly illustrates the company’s goals in this area. Ryzen 7 5800X3D(opens in new tab) is the only SKU from the company’s previous Zen 3 series of processors. It features a single eight-core chiplet with the additional cache sitting vertically on top.
The compute die’s power, and clock speed had to be capped as a result. To get to its ultimate performance statistics, you can’t push a Zen chiplet nearly as hard when it has a lump of additional silicon connected to it, a chiplet that has been flattened down to still fit to the standard height of the package.
That’s the case with the 7950X3D as well. This time with an eight-core Zen 4 chiplet, AMD is bonding an additional 64MB of L3 cache to quadruple the chip’s last-level cache to 128MB effectively. Most importantly, it must have the same height as a regular Ryzen 7000-series CPU, which means that the chiplet’s clock speed must be capped.
As there are now two mini-chips instead of one in this box. Nevertheless, AMD has made the astute decision to utilize one for the 3D V-cache, keeping the other unchanged from how it is in the base Ryzen 9 7950X. It’s a good idea since it reduces costs without sacrificing performance, and it allows the CPU to be configured with eight Zen 4 cores on one side for tasks that benefit from low latency memory and eight cores on the other side for tasks that require higher clock speeds.
Thus, the ordinary chiplet is the one to prioritize for productivity programs that don’t need anything fancy, while the stacked chiplet is the ideal choice for gaming. Yet, that is entirely dependent on the program.
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Benchmarks & Performance
The gaming performance of AMD’s flagship Zen 4 CPU lives up to all the hype. Compared to the previous 7950X and Intel’s competitor Core i9 13900K, it is clearly faster regarding average gaming frame rates. It is quicker than prior generations of AMD processors, including in games where Intel’s chip was previously dominant.
When you consider how much heat it produces and how much power it consumes, the gaming leader becomes even more astounding. As measured by our typical Far Cry 6 benchmark for frames per watt, the 7950X3D is 86% more efficient than the previous best AMD CPU and 54% more efficient than the 13900K.
The RAM and Infinity Fabric may be overclocked on the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Overclocking tests were conducted using a DDR5-6000 EXPO profile, as this is the golden spot for Zen 4 CPUs.
For our default measurements, we force Intel CPUs to operate at their maximum power, which is higher than the recommended level but still within warranty. For both the Raptor Lake and Zen 4 CPUs, we opted for DDR5 memory.
Image credit: Future
However, looking at the raw CPU performance in more specialized productivity activities reveals the trade-offs of the asymmetrical chiplet architecture. It consistently ranks worse than both competitor CPUs in rendering benchmarks. The performance improvements are noticeable even while using all of the conventional CPU cores.
- Image credit: Future
We need to look beyond the 1080p gaming environment if we discuss this as AMD’s vision of the ideal gaming CPU. We often test at this reduced resolution for our CPU gaming benchmarks better to show the differences in performance across individual CPUs. Higher resolutions place more demands on the graphics card to the point where noticeable differences in performance between different chip designs become increasingly inconsequential.
Yet, even the most powerful processors have occasionally been unable to keep up with the RTX 4090, the highest GPU currently available. To examine how the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, 7950X, and Core i9 13900K would perform in a high-end gaming system, I ran them through a few high-end gaming benchmarks in addition to our regular results were run with an RTX 3080 for historically relevant benchmark scores.
As a GPU-bound test, I’ve chosen Cyberpunk 2077; as a CPU-bound benchmark, I’ve chosen Far Cry 6 and Metro Exodus Extended Edition; and as a frame rate benchmark, I’ve chosen Little Tina’s Wonderland.
High-end real-world gaming performance 4k
- Image credit: Future
High-end real-world gaming performance 1440p
- Image credit: Future
High-end real-world gaming performance 1080p
- Image credit: Future
This test also shows that the increased L3 cache of the 7950X3D makes a noticeable impact in gaming performance, even at 1440p and the highest graphics settings. Yet the GPU is always the limiting factor at 4K resolution. Only in the Metro benchmark is there any discernible difference between the three RTX 4090 processors, and even that is largely attributable to slight optimization and driver differences.
It’s clear from the frame timings that the AMD processors are suffering from noticeable stuttering, which negatively affects the overall average frame rate. It’s the same with the non-X3D version using the identical chipset drivers, so I can’t tell if it’s related to the driver package tied to the 3D V-cache. Nevertheless, this never happens while using an Intel processor.
Review of the AMD RYZEN 9 7950X3D Processor
The concept of a powerful central processing unit for video games will always be fleeting. Game performance stats predicated on low-end resolutions you’d never utilize, a name you can only give out based on theoretical frame rates. Nevertheless, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a more concrete moniker than ever before, with noticeable performance advantages at 1440p and 1080p when the highest graphics presets are engaged.
This top AMD processor is a far more appealing alternative if you want to spend $1,600 on a high-end graphics card. As an ultra-enthusiast, knowing that the 7950X3D will offer you the best opportunity to optimize your high-priced GPU’s performance is comforting.
Although the improved efficiency is perhaps less relevant for this person, the X3D chip’s astonishing power consumption reduction and gaming performance boost make it appear like the type of processor we should be placed in our setups. The new AMD processors’ very low power consumption comes at a time when high-end CPUs typically have a power drain that rises in tandem with their performance.
While this stacked 3D cache memory chip is designed with gaming in mind, it does reduce raw processing power. It’s not quite the one chip to rule them all regarding gaming and productivity because just one of its chiplets can run at full capacity. So, the basic Ryzen 9 7950X or Intel Core i9 13900K will be of greater interest to you if you are a content producer who is just mildly interested in gaming.
But if you’re a serious gamer who enjoys making your own content, the 7950X3D could be perfect.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D or Ryzen 9 7900X3D (opens in new tab) might also do the trick. I haven’t tried the other cache-heavy processors yet, but if they provide the same gameplay and efficiency improvements as this one, they’ll be more appealing to PC gamers. Although the 7900X3D also has an asymmetrical chiplet arrangement and thus makes certain productivity sacrifices, the 7800X3D is a dedicated 3D V-Cache gaming monster. Assuming you aren’t using Blender for rendering, that’s your best option.
Don’t count on overclocking to save the day if you need to wring every last drop of efficiency and productivity from your processor. You can still overclock with AMD, but only with the help of its Curve Optimizer and Precision Boost tools; direct overclocking has been discontinued.
In spite of this, I did not find that using PBO in conjunction with the Curve Optimizer had very fruitful results for me. Though it completed its hour and a half of tweaking with a setting I could enable using Ryzen Master, this was not the one-touch tuning tool that would maximize performance for your particular chip.
Higher performance was achieved with the tuned option, but in the same manner that an F1 vehicle may be adjusted to run outside of acceptable limits and then explode as it crosses the finish line. I obtained slightly better benchmark scores, but the system was far from stable.
The gaming power of AMD’s stacked cache design has been demonstrated once again, and for the time being, this is the CPU I would recommend purchasing alongside a high-end graphics card. As always, adding an additional cache to a processor is a good way to boost its performance for gaming when neither increasing its speed nor increasing its size is an option. It’s always been the same way across CPUs and GPUs. While I have faith in AMD’s clever chiplet management software, the stuttering in Metro Exodus has made me doubt its efficacy across the board of PC games. Also, I will need to monitor it.
FAQ
- What is the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor?
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a high-performance processor designed for demanding gaming, content creation, and data processing tasks. It has 16 cores and 32 threads, providing users with high performance and efficiency.
- What is the socket type of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor?
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor uses the AMD AM5 socket.
- What is the maximum boost clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor?
The maximum boost clock frequency of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor is 5.7GHz.
- How much cache does the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor have?
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor has 16MB of L2 cache and 128MB of L3 cache, including 64MB of L3D cache.
- What type of memory does the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor support?
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor supports DDR5-5200 memory (non-OC).
- What is the TDP of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor?
The TDP of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor is 120W.
- How much does the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor cost?
The estimated retail price of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor is $699.
Conclusion
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor is a powerful gaming chip that delivers exceptional gaming performance. Its innovative 3D-stacked design is impressive and provides unmatched gaming horsepower, making it an ideal choice for high-end gaming systems. However, its added cache does not provide enough value to justify its expensive price, especially compared to current Core i9 processors and AMD’s own 7950X chip. Nonetheless, if you want the best gaming CPU currently available and are willing to pay a premium for it, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a smart choice.