AMD has launched two new Zen 5 "Ryzen 9000X3D" CPUs this year, which carry on the legacy built by the initial 9000X3D models, such as the 9800X3D. Here's an extensive look at the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 & Ryzen 7 9850X3D Are Here, Pumping Out More 3D V-Cache Options For Everyone
Read Our Review Here!
When you look at the 9000X3D CPU models unveiled at the beginning of the year, Team Red saw massive adoption with those processors, and specifically, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D was a popular model amongst gamers, considering that the CPU was in short supply for several weeks, and it even managed to maintain prices above MSRPs until recently.
One of the primary reasons why AMD saw success with the Zen 5 X3D processors is that the competition from Intel's Arrow Lake platform was relatively limited, which ultimately allowed Team Red to gain greater traction in the retail segment.
Now, with the 'soft-refresh' of 9000X3D CPUs, AMD has a similar strategy planned, aiming to have a portfolio before Zen 5 that not only integrates newer technologies but also enables the company to compete in the market independently until Intel's Nova Lake CPUs arrive. The new CPUs feature AMD's 2nd-generation 3D V-Cache, indicating that Team Red might prefer this implementation on a well-established architecture before switching to the newer Zen 6.
AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2: Dual 3D V-Cache Tiles, With Cache Scaling Up To a Phenomenal 192 MB
We saw the possibility of new Granite Ridge CPUs entering the market back in August, when it was revealed that AMD is experimenting with a dual X3D CCD configuration, the first of its kind.
The inclusion of two cache tiles represents a significant leap forward for AMD in terms of architectural advancements, primarily because the firm has been experimenting with the implementation, despite previously denying the possibility of a 3D V-Cache stacked on both dies, citing economic concerns. However, it appears that AMD plans to go all-out in the performance department with the upcoming 9950X3D2, potentially ignoring the higher costs.
AMD officially introduced the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 CPU in March 2026 as a brand new 16-core and 32-thread configuration, operating at a 200W TDP with a 192 MB cache count, the highest ever in an X3D processor. The chip retains the same base clock of 4.30 GHz, but the boost clock is toned down to 5.6 GHz, a 100 MHz decrease compared to the 9950X3D & the 9950X.
In terms of CCD arrangement, you are looking at two X3D-boosted CCDs with 64 MB 3D V-Cache each, and 32 MB on-CCD cache each, totaling up to a massive 192 MB. When combined with the L2 cache, you get a massive 208 MB pool of cache. The 2nd Gen 3D V-Cache allows the 9950X3D2 to run cooler and offer great overclocking headroom besides the standard CO and PBO utilities. Other than that, AMD is still offering an integrated Radeon GPU for diagnostic purposes, and the chip is compatible with all AM5 socketed motherboards. The following are the main highlights of the CPU:
- Ryzen 9 9950X3D2
- 16 Zen 5 Cores
- 192 MB of Cache (Dual X3D CCDs)
- Up To 5.6 GHz Clocks
- Up To 200W TDP
The 9950X3D2 is an engineering marvel, but it would not be incorrect to say that the industry is moving towards a dual cache tile structure, especially since Intel's Nova Lake processors are expected to feature a similar implementation.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 CPU Performance
AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 was spotted at PassMark and Geekbench environments recently, and it was seen that the CPU managed to be on par with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, since the dual-X3D configuration doesn't do much good in synthetic workloads. The CPU was tested on a B850 motherboard from GALAX, which featured 96 GB of DDR5-4800 memory, and here are the results:
PassMark CPU Benchmark (Higher is Better)
Geekbench CPU Benchmark (Higher is Better)
In the official reviews, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 performs well in cache-sensitive workloads, but as an overall package, it provides little improvement over the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D for gaming and multi-threading applications.
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU Availability & Price
AMD has officially launched the Ryzen 9 9950X3D for $899. Judging by the improvements you are seeing on board, the CPU is the most expensive options for the AM5 platform, and while the dual 3D V-Cache is very appealing, it shows little to no gains in games or multi-threading application though there are going to be certain cases such as AI workloads where the extra cache will come into play.
AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D: Building Upon the 9800X3D Hype, But Adds In Even More Performance
The second chip in AMD's 'soft refresh' lineup is the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU, an 8-core, 16-thread variant with a 120W TDP and 96MB of L3 cache. The specifications of this chip closely resemble those of the existing Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU. However, the most significant change with this chip is the faster 5.6 GHz clock speeds, a 500 MHz increase over the 9800X3D, which bring about the extra performance gains that make the processor an attractive option.
There isn't much to discuss regarding this particular SKU, except that the 9800X3D has already established a stunning retail presence. The following are the main highlights of the 9850X3D:
- Ryzen 7 9850X3D
- 8 Zen 5 Cores
- 96 MB of Cache (Dual X3D CCDs)
- Up To 5.6 GHz Clocks
- Up To 120W TDP
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU Performance
In our review, we called the Ryzen 7 9850X3D the best CPU for gaming, and the fastest one to date. With 8 3D V-cache boosted cores, the chip delivers great efficiency. Following are our pros and cons:
- Fastest Gaming Performance Ever Recorded
- 8-Core 3D V-Cache Die
- Good Efficiency
- Up to 5.6 GHz clock speeds
- Features full overclocking support
- PBO & Lots of tuning options provide even higher performance
- Doesn't require fast DDR5 memory
- Compatible With All AM5 Motherboards
The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D was also spotted in the PassMark benchmark, appearing under both single- and multi-core tests. Compared to the 9800X3D, we observed a 5% improvement in both single- and multi-core tests. Additionally, compared to the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is over 20% faster.
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Performance Uplift (Per Leak):
- +5% vs 9800X3D (single & multi-core)
- +20%+ vs 7800X3D
- +43% single-core vs 5800X3D
- +48% multi-core vs 5800X3D
The slight performance bump for the X3D refreshes is AMD's last attempt with Zen 5 X3D CPUs, before we move to the all-new Zen 6 architecture. The main highlights of these SKUs are the 2nd Gen AMD V-Cache technology and the dual X3D CCD approach, which will be the ultimate performance drivers for these new CPUs.
AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D CPU Availability & Price
AMD has officially launched the Ryzen 7 9850X3D for $499, after an extensive showcase at CES 2026. Judging by the improvements you are seeing on board, the price tag on this particular model is "too attractive" to ignore, and it is just $20 higher than the 9800X3D, which was one of the best-selling CPUs last year. You can purchase the chip at the following links:
However, plans for the 9950X3D2 haven't surfaced yet, and while we did expect an unveiling at CES 2026, it unfortunately didn't pan out, as AMD was "too focused" on AI.
AMD Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" Desktop CPUs Specs:
| CPU Name | Architecture | Cores / Threads | Base / Boost Clock | Cache | Graphics (Integrated) | Memory Support | TDP | Price (MSRP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 | Zen 5 | 16/32 | 4.3 / 5.6 GHz | 192 MB L3 + 16 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 200W | $899 |
| Ryzen 9 9950X3D | Zen 5 | 16/32 | 4.3 / 5.7 GHz | 128 MB L3 + 16 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 170W | $699 |
| Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D | Zen 5 | 16/32 | 4.3 / 5.5 GHz | 128 MB L3 + 16 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 170W | TBD |
| Ryzen 9 9950X | Zen 5 | 16/32 | 4.3 / 5.7 GHz | 64 MB L3 + 16 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 170W | $599 |
| Ryzen 9 9900X3D | Zen 5 | 12/24 | 4.4 / 5.5 GHz | 128 MB L3 + 12 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 120W | $599 |
| Ryzen 9 9900X | Zen 5 | 12/24 | 4.4 / 5.6 GHz | 64 MB L3 + 12 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 120W | $469 |
| Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 | Zen 5 | 12/24 | 3.4 / TBD GHz | 64 MB L3 + 12 MB L2 | 2x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W | TBD |
| Ryzen 7 9850X3D | Zen 5 | 8/16 | 4.7 / 5.6 GHz | 96 MB L3 + 8 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 120W | $499 |
| Ryzen 7 9800X3D | Zen 5 | 8/16 | 4.7 / 5.2 GHz | 96 MB L3 + 8 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 120W | $479 |
| Ryzen 7 9700X | Zen 5 | 8/16 | 3.8 / 5.5 GHz | 32 MB L3 + 8 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W/105W | $299 |
| Ryzen 7 9700F | Zen 5 | 8/16 | 3.8 / 5.5 GHz | 32 MB L3 + 8 MB L2 | N/A | DDR5-5600 | 65W | $249 |
| Ryzen 7 PRO 9745 | Zen 5 | 8/16 | 3.8 / TBD GHz | 32 MB L3 + 8 MB L2 | 2x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W | TBD |
| Ryzen 5 9600X3D | Zen 5 | 6/12 | TBD | 96 MB L3 + 6 MB L2 | 2x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W | TBD |
| Ryzen 5 9600X | Zen 5 | 6/12 | 3.9 / 5.4 GHz | 32 MB L3 + 6 MB L2 | 2 x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W/105W | $199 |
| Ryzen 5 PRO 9645 | Zen 5 | 6/12 | 3.9 / TBD GHz | 32 MB L3 + 6 MB L2 | 2x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W | TBD |
| Ryzen 5 9600 | Zen 5 | 6/12 | 3.8 / 5.2 GHz | 32 MB L3 + 6 MB L2 | 2x RDNA 2 CUs | DDR5-5600 | 65W | $189 |
