Ryzen 7950X3D review: Expensive but incredibly efficient 16-core processor

Near the end of the Ryzen 5000 release, AMD released the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, a special edition of the octa-core 5800X with 64MB of additional L3 cache stacked on top of it.

The result was an interesting but niche experiment. The optional “3D V-Cache”helped the processor perform especially well in games, but lower clock speeds (plus higher power consumption and heat dissipation) hampered its overall performance in applications. The extra cost was (and still is) out of proportion to the speed gain over the 5700X or 5800X. And the 5800X3D was the end of the line for the old Socket AM4 platform, making it an interesting upgrade option if you already had an old Ryzen PC, but an awkward choice for building a completely new PC.

Now, AMD is back with an expanded range of Zen 4 based Ryzen 7000X3D processors. The $599 12-core Ryzen 9 7900X3D and $699 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X3D are available now, with the 8-core Ryzen 7 7800X3D coming April 6th.

The lineup expansion suggests that AMD has become more comfortable on the manufacturing side of the equation – 3D V-Cache isn’t in every Ryzen processor, but it’s also not limited to one product released at some odd moment. Ryzen 7000 lifecycle AMD has addressed some of the 5800X3D’s biggest flaws by boosting clock speeds, though not always elegantly. Processors still feel like experiments in some ways, and most people buying or building PCs will be fine with one of the cheaper non-X3D (or something from Intel) processors. But the performance – and especially the power efficiency – of the 7950X3D makes it worth considering for anyone building a gaming PC that also doubles as a video editing rig or workstation.

Prices and comparisons

The Ryzen 7000 processor line is currently divided into three sub-categories: the X-series processors that were available at launch, the non-X-series processors for mainstream PCs with lower default power settings and lower prices, and now the expensive ones aimed at gamers. focused X3D models. Compared to the X series, you’re paying $100 to $150 more for processors that basically promise improved gaming performance.

Prices for other AMD Zen 4 processors have dropped slightly since the chips were launched back in September, partly because Intel’s 12th and 13th generation processors were priced very competitively, and partly because CPU and desktop sales have dropped significantly since the start of the pandemic (although they are still higher than they were before the pandemic ). If you’ve read our previous review, you may have noticed that the 7950X3D is launching at the same price as the regular 7950X, released less than six months ago; apparently, this is not the competitive position that AMD wanted to take at this early stage in the Ryzen 7000 lifecycle.

Looking at the top of Intel’s 13th gen lineup, the i9-13900K is $600 or less these days (usually the KF or non-K version of the 13900 can save you even more money, but at the time of this writing, all three are in the same price range). Its main downside is that you have to let it consume a lot of power to get the most out of it, especially when compared to the 7950X3D, but in terms of upfront costs, you can still put together a top Intel system a bit. less money than the AM5 system.

As we wrote earlier, the AMD platform also requires a new motherboard with a new socket and chipset and DDR5 memory, while Intel processors work with a wider range of cheaper motherboards and you can still use DDR4 RAM to save money if you want. But if you’re seriously considering a 7950X for your PC, you’ll probably also consider a DDR5-compatible Z690 or Z790 motherboard for an Intel processor, which closes that price gap a bit. Installing the i9-13900K on a cheap motherboard with an H610 chipset will technically work, but it’s likely that the power delivery system on that motherboard will limit its performance.