AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU Evaluate: Dominant, No Compromise Efficiency

Discover The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D @ Amazon

How the brand new Ryzen 9 9950X3D compares to the opposite Ryzen 9000X3D processors, and its rapid predecessors within the 7000 sequence, is specified by the desk above. Aside from the bottom and enhance clocks and official reminiscence pace assist, it looks as if not a lot has modified. AMD’s Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 7950X3D share what look like comparable core counts and cache configurations, although the brand new 9950X3D has a better and TDP. After all, Ryzen 9 9950X3D options AMD’s newest Zen 5 microarchitecture, and its second era 3D V-Cache actually flips the construct the wrong way up, to permit for not solely greater clocks, however clocks that enhance constantly greater for longer durations.

By way of its specs, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D solely has a 100MHz greater base clock than the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, which alone ought to enhance efficiency solely barely, however there are architectural enhancements at play that push efficiency even additional. AMD has additionally enlarged the bodily dimension of the 3D V-Cache die to match the CCD, and bonded it to the bottom-side for this era. Meaning the CPU cores have direct entry to cooling, which was a limiting issue with earlier generations X3D processors. 3D V-Cache on the 5000 and 7000 sequence was bonded on prime of the CCD, so the CPU cores radiated warmth by the cache, to the cooler – that is not the case with Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

The updates to the Ryzen 9000X3D’s design and 3D V-Cache implementation additionally allowed AMD to allow full overclockability as effectively, which is new for this era of X3D sequence processors.

Concerning its core configuration, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a 16-core / 32-thread, dual-CCD half, with a base clock of 4.3GHz and a max enhance clock of 5.7GHz. There’s 96MB of second era 3D V-Cache on board and with Zen 5 processors, AMD formally helps a non-overclocked reminiscence pace of DDR5-5600, although greater clocks are simply doable and DDR5-6000 stays the candy spot for fanatic and content material creation efficiency. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D has a 170W configurable TDP, which is a step up over previous-gen components (the 7950X3D is 120 watts), and slots into the identical AM5 socket because the Ryzen 7000 and different 9000 sequence chips. We examined the 9950X3D in one of many newest X870E-based motherboards, however 600-series chipset-based motherboards can even assist Ryzen 9000X3D sequence processors, when flashed with a obligatory BIOS and CPU microcode replace.

Bodily there’s not a lot to see. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D appears to be like similar to each different Ryzen 9000 sequence processor, save for the branding on the highest of its heat-spreader. All the identical cooling and equipment that match the Ryzen 7000 sequence and present 9000 sequence will work correctly on the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU Configuration And 3D V-Cache Efficiency Optimizer

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D’s particulars as reported by CPU-Z are specified by the pictures beneath. The household, stepping and different particulars are the identical as customary Ryzen 9000 sequence processors and the one change is the quantity of L3 cache.

Idle clocks (left), 100% MT load clocks (proper)

There’s 80K of L1 per core (48K D-Cache [12-way] + 32K I-Cache [8-way]), which is a rise from 64K on Zen 4 / Ryzen 7000. There’s additionally 1MB of L2 cache per core, which is 16-way set associative. Normal Ryzen 9000 sequence processors additionally characteristic 32MB of L3 cache per compute die however with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, one compute die is outfitted with an extra 96MB of 3D V-Cache, bringing the entire L3 as much as 128MB (144MB whole cache). The CCD outfitted with 3D V-Cache operates at extra conservative voltages and frequencies, however the naked compute die is unencumbered.

The non-symmetrical nature of the cache and clock configuration on the CCDs has some affect on the processor’s habits and in the end its efficiency. On the plus facet, having a normal CCD on board means frequencies can enhance as excessive as the usual chip with many workloads, successfully sustaining flagship-level efficiency for each single and multi-threaded workloads. Nonetheless, to make sure video games and different workloads that profit from the 3D-Vache really run on the proper CCD, some driver wizardry is required. As such, guaranteeing the system is up to date with the most recent BIOS and AMD chipset software program is a should to realize peak efficiency, throughout a wide range of workloads, particularly gaming. With AMD’s chipset drivers put in, an ‘AMD 3D V-Cache Efficiency Optimizer’ entry might be seen in Gadget Supervisor and Activity Manger as effectively. This driver and repair displays workloads on the system and ensures video games are run on the CCD with 3D V-Cache, whereas the opposite CCD is dynamically parked. Workloads that profit most from greater frequencies prioritize the customary CCD, however nonetheless have entry to all CPU assets.

That large L3 cache permits the Ryzen 9 9950X3D to maintain numerous information near the CPU cores and enhance recreation efficiency. However different tweaks to the Ryzen 9 9950X3D might help normal efficiency as effectively. How a lot does it assist? Let’s discover out…