AMD will be releasing a Ryzen 9000 processor with 3D V-Cache next month, which is expected to be the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. We know quite a bit about the successor to the popular Ryzen 7 7800X3D already, including the release date, but if you’re waiting on AMD’s next generation of X3D models then here’s everything you need to know before they launch.
Everything we know about the 7 9800X3D so far
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D will launch first on November 7th
AMD has announced that it will be launching the first Ryzen 9000X3D model on November 7th, but this is widely expected to be just the eight-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D for now with other models with more cores to follow later. The reason for this is unclear, but in bringing forward the launch, AMD was perhaps worried Intel’s Core Ultra 200 Arrow Lake CPUs might have stolen a march on its own Ryzen 9000 models.
In the end, both of those launches were disappointing for different reasons and even though AMD’s Ryzen 9000 Zen 5 CPUs have seen performance improvements since then thanks to updates to Windows as well as BIOS updates, anyone that had a Ryzen 9000X3D model in their shortlist to buy in the run up to Christmas 2024 will have undoubtedly decided to wait for AMD to launch them given the lacklustre benefits offered by AMD and Intel’s previous launches.
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has a significant change to where the extra cache is placed
AMD has had two generations of desktop processors with 3D V-Cache so far, beginning with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and other Ryzen 5000 models, plus the Ryzen 7000 models including the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Ryzen 9 7950X3D. All of these had the extra L3 cache, otherwise known as 3D V-Cache, added on top of one of the CCDs that houses eight cores on the CPU.
This created a thermal bottleneck as the cores were no longer in direct contact with the heat spreader so even high-end cooling wouldn’t make a difference. The latest leak points at this extra cache now being placed underneath the CCD so once again the cores have direct access to the heat spreader a the processor should be able to handle higher frequencies and voltages too. It’s a significant development as Ryzen 9000 and the new Zen 5 architecture isn’t that much faster than its predecessor, but the new 3D V-Cache models might be more exciting as it could mean higher frequencies and even overclocking are possible.
Why higher frequencies are important
Frequencies have been lower for the 3D V-Cache models till now, which meant they suffered a deficit in performance outside of games, sometimes making them inferior choices for those that needed to perform tasks other than games. This was especially so when comparing them to Intel’s CPUs that, while less power efficient, did offer more consistent performance across games and content creations tasks.
Below we can see the Cinebench scores of many 3D V-Cache CPUs compared to their standard equivalents and every time the 3D V-Cache models have been noticeably slower. In some other software the gap was even wider. If AMD has indeed been able to increase frequencies more than usual then its Ryzen 9000 3D V-Cache models could be much better all-rounders. Of course, the higher frequencies will absolutely boost gaming performance further too.
How fast is the Ryzen
7 9800X3D in Cinebench?
In terms of raw performance, we have little to go on apart from a select few leaked benchmarks. Anandtech forum member igor_kavinski “(via VideoCardz) posted screenshots of a supposed 9800X3D that had Precision Boost Overdrive and other tweaks enabled, but otherwise stock CPU posting a Cinebench R23 score of 25,258 points. A Ryzen 7 9700X postsed 23,325 points with PBO enabled and the Ryzen 7 7800X3D can only manage 17,235 without PBO. Even without any tweaks the Ryzen 7 9800X3D would still likely offer a significantly higher score.
How much will the Ryzen 7 9800X3D cost?
The million dollar question is of course, how much will the Ryzen 9800X3D and indeeds it’s siblings cost? The Ryzen 7 7800X3D has enjoyed a sizeable price hike in recent weeks due in part to a disappointing launch for the Ryzen 9000 series. That will not have been helped by Intel’s similarly average Core Ultra 200 series launch, both of which have driven up demand for AMD’s existing Ryzen 3D V-Cache models including the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
The worry is that AMD can essentially charge what it likes for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, especially if it performs as well as is expected.Ryzen 7 7800X3D had a launch price of $449, but had been retailing for for over $500 recently before dropping back to around $470 in the wake of AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D announcement. Hopefully we’ll see pricing sit close to what the Ryzen 7000X3D models cost.
What other models in addition to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D are there?
AMD has not announced any other Ryzen 9000X3D models yet, but we can likely expect a Ryzen 9 9900X3D with 12 cores and a Ryzen 9 9950X3D with 16 cores. These could be launched any time after what is expected to be a Ryzen 7 9800X3D launch on 7th November, with previous rumors pointing at January 2025 to coincide with the LAs Vegas CES event. These are rumored to have the 3D V-Cache spread across multiple CCDs, alleviating problems seen its existing 12 and 16-core 3D V-Cache CPUs where game threads were placed on cores without direct access to the 3D V-Cache, resulting in reduced performance.
What about Ryzen 7 9800X3D motherboard compatibility?
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D and other Ryzen 9000X3D models will be compatible with all Socket AM5 motherboards including older B650 and X670 chipset motherboards with no change to cooler compatibility either. The only requirement will be an up to date BIOS, especially if you own an older board that hasn’t been updated in a while.
Who is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D aimed at?
Previous CPUs with 3D V-Cache have primarily been aimed at gamers since the presence of the extra cache does not benefit many other applications. We’ve also seen consistently slower performance for 3D V-Cache models outside of games, so casual gamers with a need for maximum content creation performance and budget to stay within the mainstream desktop segment would likely have opted for none 3D V-Cache models.
That could change with the likes of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D as the revised cache location could mean the performance gap outside of games between say a Ryzen 9 9950X and Ryzen 9 9950X3D could be much smaller than the equivalent CPUs in the Ryzen 7000 series, meaning a stronger argument for anyone considering a 3D V-Cache model.
Should you upgrade to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D?
Ultimately this will come down to what the benchmarks say and indeed the launch price. With up to 8% better game performance and 15% higher multi-threaded performance than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, it’s unlikely anyone that owns that CPU will find this a worthwhile upgrade given even a 10% gaming boost would see an average frame rate rise from 50fps to just 55fps. The multi-threaded performance gains are noticeably more than that, but still a questionable upgrade.
Anyone with an older Socket AM4 AMD system would see huge benefits to gaming performance making the Ryzen 7 9800X3D a worthwhile upgrade, although the likes of the Ryzen 9 5950X will still likely beat it in multi-threaded applications. Worryingly for Intel, the Ryzen 9000X3D models could easily steal potential buyers of its Core Ultra 200 series following its disappointing launch and inconsistent gaming performance.
I’ll be reviewing the new processors including the Ryzen 7 9800X3D when they arrive so follow me here on Forbes using the blue button below, Facebook or YouTube to get the latest news and reviews.
