AMD’s 3D V-Cache processors have been the fastest gaming CPUs on the market for a few years now, with the 8-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D being the current ringleader. The Zen 5-based CPU has been labeled the “gaming king” since its release, but now, that changes.
Enter the Ryzen 7 9850X3D , an 8-core X3D processor on the same architecture that is barely any different from the 9800X3D on paper. Its name gives it away; this is not a next-generation Zen CPU, nor does it provide more cores than the existing 9800X3D. It is a mid-generation release that improves upon the 9800X3D for a little bit of a price premium.
In this particular case, that might just be enough since the 9800X3D is already the fastest gaming CPU that money can buy, so more performance wouldn’t hurt, right? Well, that's what we are here to find out.
Does the Ryzen 7 9850X3D justify its price premium of $30 to $70 over the 9800X3D? Does it even perform better, or is it just marketing hype? Let’s get into the details.
Features and Specifications: AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D vs AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
On paper, it is hard to separate the new Ryzen 7 9850X3D from the old 9800X3D. They are both CPUs from the Ryzen 9000 family, built upon the 4nm Zen 5 architecture with a 3D V-Cache implementation on top. Both CPUs use AMD’s new X3D architecture, which places SRAM under the CCD to give the cores direct access to the Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS).
The new Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers 8 cores and 16 threads just like its predecessor. However, the two CPUs do differ in their clock speeds. While the base clock of 4.7 GHz is shared by the two, their boost clock is different, as the new 9850X3D can boost up to 5.6 GHz compared to the 5.2 GHz boost of the 9800X3D. That is the only difference between the two CPUs.
Both CPUs offer 104MB of total onboard cache, of which 96MB is stacked vertically in the form of 3D V-Cache. The two CPUs also share the same 120W TDP rating, with a PPT of 162W. The memory compatibility is the same (officially at DDR5-5600), and both chips slot into the AM5 socket, which you’ll find alongside AMD’s 600- and 800-series chipsets on motherboards.
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AMD has priced the 9850X3D at $499, which is a $20 price bump over the $480 MSRP of the 9800X3D. It is important to note that the 9800X3D can be found at around $430 to $470 at the time of writing, which makes the 9850X3D look like a bit of a tough bargain on paper.
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