AMD’s vaunted “X3D” V-Cache expertise vaulted Ryzen processors to the top of gaming supremacy when it debuted within the legendary Ryzen 7 5800X3D. Now, it arrives with further strain on its proverbial shoulders: Can that X3D magic assist resuscitate a Ryzen 9000 lineup that’s struggled with ho-hum evaluations out of the gate and dramatic performance-altering Home windows updates?
Spoiler alert: Completely. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D rocks, obliterating Intel’s new Core Extremely 9 285K in video games – however that’s not all.
Earlier X3D generations at all times popped in video games, however proved lackluster in opposition to its non-X3D siblings in creation workloads. Due to some sensible tweaks to the second-gen V-Cache design, the $479, 8-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D truly will get a fair greater bump in choose creator workloads than gaming, in comparison with its predecessor, and now sits comfortably above the 8-core 9700X for work and play. It’s a monumental second for AMD – and a monumental beat down for Intel’s gaming ambitions.
Our evaluation of the preliminary Ryzen 9000 CPUs can get you caught up on essential platform particulars about this technology of AMD processors. We’ve already dug into the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s speeds and feeds, whereas the video embedded above dives deep into our full testing outcomes for the chip (although you may swipe by all our benchmark graphs beneath). Right here, we’ll clarify the 5 key issues it’s good to know earlier than shopping for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D… which we completely advocate in the event you’re a gamer.
1. Second-gen V-Cache makes important enhancements
Earlier than we get into the benchmarks, we have to shortly discuss how AMD achieved such sterling outcomes.
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D introduces the second technology of AMD’s V-Cache expertise, and it’s a winner. In earlier X3D generations, the slabs of cache sat on prime of the Ryzen CPU dies, which resulted in them not having the ability to clock as excessive as their non-X3D siblings as a consequence of warmth issues – and also you couldn’t overclock them in any respect. So the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and 7800X3D have been slower than their non-X3D counterparts in lots of non-gaming workloads.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
Say goodbye to these limitations with the 9800X3D and its new-style V-Cache. Right here’s AMD describing the tweaks:
“AMD has re-engineered its cutting-edge on-chip memory solution with 2nd Gen AMD 3D V-Cache technology. The 64MB cache memory has been relocated below the processor, which puts the core complex die (CCD) closer to the cooling solution to help keep the “Zen 5” cores cooler, delivering excessive clock charges and offering as much as a median 8% gaming efficiency enchancment in comparison with our last-gen technology and as much as a median 20% sooner than the competitors. This revolutionary change in placement permits for excessive overclocking of the processor.”
Finish consequence? The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has a a lot greater, 4.7GHz base clock pace than each the Ryzen 7 9700X and the older Ryzen 7 7800X3D, whereas additionally bumping up most clock speeds to five.2GHz and likewise permitting you to (lastly) overclock the processor.
2. A gaming legend certainly
With these modifications in tow, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D completely slaps in video games – and slaps Intel’s flagship Core Extremely 9 285K round within the course of.
Within the 4 video games we examined, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D runs a median of 25 p.c sooner than the 285K at 1080p decision. That’s a huge unheard-of gulf, and it’s truly being dragged down by the ends in Complete Conflict Warhammer 3, which runs equally on each processor we examined. In case you take that out, the 9800X3D runs a whopping 30 p.c sooner than Intel’s largest canine. It’s 45 p.c sooner than the 285K in Cyberpunk 2077 with ray tracing off.
Insanity! I can’t keep in mind the final time I witnessed a {hardware} beat down this relentlessly violent. If you need the one greatest gaming chip you should buy, the Ryzen 9 9800X3D is it.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
AMD’s newcomer additionally bests the corporate’s productiveness flagship, the Ryzen 9 9950X, in gaming – no shock there given the Ryzen 9’s dual-CCD design, which might impression gaming body charges.
Apparently, the 9800X3D isn’t all that a lot sooner in our examined video games than its predecessor, the 7800X3D. However that’s not the case with regards to, nicely, all the things however gaming.
3. Shockingly good creation chops
Eight-core CPUs are the candy spot for most folk who recreation and dabble in duties like streaming and fundamental video enhancing, and the second-gen V-Cache within the 9800X3D makes it a a lot extra compelling possibility for work than its predecessors.
In contrast to prior X3D chips, the 9800X3D is demonstrably sooner than the vanilla 8-core chip in AMD’s Ryzen lineup – the 9700X, right here. We examined the 9700X in each its inventory 65-watt configuration, in addition to with the 105W possibility unlocked by way of a BIOS replace. The 9800X3D soundly trounces the 9700X’s default efficiency, and manages to maintain its lead even once you juice the vanilla chip with considerable further energy. We haven’t seen this earlier than, and it’s an enormous feather within the 9800X3D’s cap.
That’s notable. However what actually drives house the purpose is the distinction between the 9800X3D and the 7800X3D in artistic workloads, particularly given their neck-and-neck efficiency in gaming.
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
The 9800X3D is 24 p.c sooner than the 7800X3D in Cinebench’s multi-thread take a look at, regardless of each being 8-core chips with related V-Cache. It’s roughly 25 p.c sooner in Blender workloads. That leaps as much as a whopping 35 p.c sooner throughout Handbrake video encodes. The torrid tempo slows in Premiere Professional and Photoshop, to a still-valiant 13 and 18 p.c respectively, whereas Davinci Resolve is the least spectacular consequence, with the 9800X3D touchdown about 7.5 p.c sooner than the 7800X3D.
These are phenomenal outcomes, full cease, and ones that eradicate the earlier caveats related to Ryzen X3D chips. Selecting the Ryzen 7 5800X3D or 7800X3D meant you bought top-tier gaming efficiency, however non-gaming duties suffered in comparison with their vanilla siblings. That’s not the case anymore. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D outshines the 9700X in each manner – and it’s usually not shut, particularly in the event you’re utilizing the 9700X’s default 65W configuration.
Don’t hear what I’m not saying: In case you’re an individual who does heavy, crunchy creation duties, you’re usually going to be higher off going for the Ryzen 9 9950X or Core Extremely 9 285K, each of which come loaded with manner extra CPU cores than AMD’s new X3D vanguard and supply correspondingly greater efficiency (at, sure, greater costs). However the 9800X3D can simply deal with what the overwhelming majority of parents will throw at it.
4. It’s costlier
So the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the one greatest gaming chip you should buy, and it’s now a really stable chip for non-gaming duties too. Wonderful! However you don’t get these advantages at no cost.
At $479, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D prices $30 greater than its predecessor, and a whopping $130 greater than the 9700X – an attention-grabbing value for the reason that 9800X3D chip was solely about 14 p.c sooner than the 9700X in our gaming assessments. If you need the easiest gaming efficiency, although, it’s important to pay for it. It’s additionally value stating that the 9800X3D is $110 cheaper than Intel’s Core Extremely 9 285K. AMD’s chip whups on Intel’s in video games, whereas Intel’s shoves AMD’s chip round in multi-core workloads.
5. Do you have to improve your 5800X3D?
Adam Patrick Murray / Foundry
Lastly, the large query: What do you have to do in the event you already personal a Ryzen 7 5800X3D system? A lot of fans snatched up the legendary chip throughout fireplace gross sales lately, and have been ready to see how the Ryzen 9800X3D carried out after skipping the 7800X3D.
Going off the numbers alone, the 9800X3D is 25 p.c sooner than the 5700X3D (which is clocked 400MHz decrease than the 5800X3D) in our gaming assessments, and a complete lot sooner than that in content material creation duties. The 5800X3D must be about 7 p.c sooner than the 5700X3D. On the floor, that makes the 9800X3D look like a really high quality improve certainly. However do you have to chunk the bullet?
For individuals who demand the most recent applied sciences and the bleeding fringe of gaming pace, it is smart. In case you take a step again, nevertheless, the beloved 5800X3D – which got here out years in the past – is simply as quick if not sooner than Intel’s 285K flagship. So it stays a really potent gaming chip, and the 9800X3D’s gaming uplift gained’t be as pronounced at 1440p or 4K decision, the place gaming bottlenecks are likely to get shifted extra in the direction of GPUs.
Upgrading from the 5800X3D to the 9800X3D doesn’t simply imply spending $479 on the chip, both – you’ll additionally must improve to a brand new AM5 motherboard, and snag some newfangled DDR5 reminiscence to go together with it. All-in, you’re taking a look at a complete platform improve value pushing almost $800 or extra, even in the event you maintain your present graphics card, case, energy provide, and so forth.
Once more, in the event you search the easiest gaming firepower, it may make sense, and doubly so in the event you stream or use your PC for different demanding workloads – the 9800X3D’s content material creation leap is breathtaking, and the AM5 platform helps newer applied sciences like PCIe 5, DDR5, and USB 4. However in the event you’re principally a gamer, and the 5800X3D continues to be spitting out ferocious body charges in your video games of selection, saving your money for a baller new graphics card might be a greater bang on your buck regardless of how incredible the 9800X3D is.
