Windows Central Verdict
AMD continues the theme with its second generation of 3D V-Cache to deliver unparalleled gaming performance and middling productivity. Thankfully, most gamers do not care about the benchmark-breaking number crunching as long as they get their framerate boosts, and the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers that sweet extra FPS. It’s not a big enough jump to tempt those happy with a previous-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D, but anyone on Ryzen 5000 chips or jumping ship from Intel will love it if the $30 MSRP hike and AM5 overhauls don’t sour the temptation.
Crushes Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K in gaming with a cheaper cost
Compatible with most AM5 CPU coolers without new adapters
Around 8-22% of generational performance increases
Upgrading from 5000X3D means all-new motherboards and DDR5 RAM
$30 more expensive than its Ryzen 7 7800X3D predecessor
7800X3D users could wait for the next generation with bigger gains
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I can tell you that extra cores and threads benefit raw productivity performance, but I’ll always feel the temptation of a gaming-centric CPU that delivers boosted framerates, something AMD has repeatedly delivered with its -X3D chips.
•Price and availability•CPU benchmarks•Gaming benchmarks•Competition•Should you buy?
It’s a simple fact that consistently proves itself with each processor generation: gamers want the best performance for their money and will take any desktop boosts as a convenient side effect.
AMD has remained in the top-seller spot for most CPU retailers, with the previous-generationRyzen 7 7800X3Dsitting pretty as the gaming champion since its release.
If that were ever to change, it’d be with a direct successor, and that’s the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, here at last.
While I’ve tested processors from both Intel and AMD, my personal PCs have always used AMD Ryzen chips for modern builds and even AMD Athlon 64 many years before that. I’ve watched them evolve and still choose them for myself.
Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Price, availability, and specs
At its launch, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the onlyZen 5 processorin AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D range. More variants, presumably (but so far unconfirmed) a 9900X3D and 9950X3D, are expected to follow.
Price:$479 at NeweggRelease:November 7, 2024Cores:8Threads:16Base clock:4.7GHzMax boost:Up to 5.2GHzL3 cache:96MBBase TDP:120W
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an 8-core, 16-threadAPU (SoC)running at a 120Wbase TDPlike its predecessor, theRyzen 7 7800X3D. Its specs are also similar toAMD’s Ryzen 7 9700Xchip, which runs at a lower TDP with a reduced L3 cache, focused on productivity rather than gaming.
Officially launching with a $479 MSRP, which is $30 more expensive than the $449 Ryzen 7 7800X3D it replaces, actual store listings come relatively close with some minor inflation.
AMD has moved from a 4nm process to 5nm via TSMC’s foundry but remains on the same AM5 socket withcompatible 9000X3D motherboardsand supports the same CPU coolers as its previous-genZen 4 (7000 Series)chips.
Upgrading from a Ryzen 7000X3D chip would be a straightforward process for enthusiasts. Still, it wouldn’t provide as much of a performance leap as it would for those using aRyzen 7 5800X3Dor similar AM4 variants using now-incompatible DDR4 memory modules (RAM) as AM5 requires DDR5.
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D | $479 at Newegg
The new Ryzen 7 9800X3D becomes the best gaming CPU you can buy, surpassing the current category champion and crushing its top-end Intel competitor.
👉See at:Best Buy|Newegg|Amazon|B&H
Having previously testedAMD’s Ryzen 7 7800X3DandRyzen 8000 Seriesprocessors like theRyzen 5 8600GandRyzen 7 8700G, I already had access to a compatible AM5-socket motherboard with theASUS ROG STRIX B650-A Gaming WiFi. However, AMD provided all-new samples to ensure compatibility with the latest BIOS software and EXPO-compatible RAM running at 6000MHz. Arctic sent its Liquid Freezer III 360mm AIO to help testa separate processor, but it still offers the best cooling performance here.
Testing hardware
MSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi | $499.99 at Newegg
MSI goes all-out with built-in Wi-Fi 7 support alongside 5G Ethernet LAN and 40Gb/s USB-C plus PCIe 5.0 support for storage and expansion cards.
👉See at:Newegg|Amazon
ARCTIC Liquid Freezer III 360 | $90.08 at Amazon
Consistently proving to be the most convenient and effective AIO cooler, the Liquid Freezer III works perfectly with AM5 with a straightforward installation.
👉See at:Amazon|Newegg
G.SKILL Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5 32GB (2x16GB) 6000MHz CL28 (White) | $129.99 at Amazon
G.SKILL naturally offers multiple variants of its DDR5-6000 RAM, including black and white variants, but this CL28 32GB kit works perfectly with the 9800X3D.
👉See at:Amazon|Newegg
This review was made possible with review samples provided by G.SKILL, Samsung, and MSI via AMD alongside Arctic. The companies did not see the contents of the review before publishing.
Ryzen 7 9800X3D: CPU benchmarks
No matter what a processor was designed for, it always passes my usual gamut of synthetic benchmarks that test single-core and multi-core performance in various productivity tasks. As fun as it would be to skip right to the gaming tests, it’s important to see where the Ryzen 7 9800X3D ranks among its peers in burst processing and longer, sustained stress tests.
For burst processing tests in Geekbench 6, the 9800X3D scores above its lower-powered non-X3D sibling, the $359Ryzen 7 9700X, in multi-core performance but below in single-core equivalents.
In synthetic productivity benchmarks, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D performed around 21-22% faster than its predecessor, the 7800X3D.
Of particular note is how far ahead Intel’s $589Core Ultra 9 285Kpulls in multi-core tests, as by design, but there isn’t much of a gap in the single-core category — remember this when I compare gaming performance next. Otherwise, there’s about a 22% generational burst performance improvement over AMD’s predecessor, theRyzen 7 7800X3D.
Sustained stress tests with Cinebench 2024 show a similar story, with the 9800X3D scoring slightly ahead of the Ryzen 7 9700X as before while creeping on the heels of Intel’s $309Core Ultra 5 245K. In the long run, single-core performance falls in favor of Intel, with more of a lead gained by the Core Ultra 9 285K as it once again places miles ahead in multi-core equivalents, dominating productivity by a colossal degree. Again, a 21% generational sustained performance over the 7800X3D matches the burst tests.
Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Gaming benchmarks
In its official documentation for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, AMD touts an average 8% performance improvement in gaming compared to the previous-genRyzen 7 7800X3D. The amount depends on a range of engine-specific quirks that determine how CPU-bound or GPU-bound a title can be, though the percentage gap usually increases over time with post-launch driver updates. Nevertheless, the 7800X3D, until now, was the best gaming CPU available, so these improvements are no real surprise — so, it’s far more interesting to compare the 9800X3D against Intel’s top-end CPU: theCore Ultra 9 285K.
While writing myIntel Core Ultra 9 285K review, no graphical setting changes would significantly increase my FPS in Forza Horizon 5. While it’s likely a bug, this chart accurately represents the best framerate I can achieve at this time with the ‘High’ preset at 1080p.
Matching estimations,Black Myth: Wukongscores almost identically on AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K, while the “121.9%” gains promised in the CPU-centric titleAshes of the Singularity: Escalationdidn’t manifest in my testing, sticking around 6% instead. While not much of a surprise given its excellent performance on practically any hardware,Forza Horizon 5scores an outrageous average of 387 FPS, which is perfect for anyone who usesthose 360Hz 1080p gaming monitors. However, something clearly is bugged on Intel’s side, so I’m skipping the implied percentage gain for Forza.
Moving from a disastrous launch to a patched-up marvel,Cyberpunk 2077sees a 52% performance increase on the 9800X3D over Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285K, proving far better of a pairing to NVIDIA’s current high-endGeForce RTX 4090graphics card.Far Cry 6bumps up performance by 43% with the same GPU and DDR5-6000 RAM pairing, and the latest blockbuster Call of Duty entry enjoys a 41% lead as the 9800X3D earns extra frames inBlack Ops 6.
So, while I’m testing a tighter scope of popular AAA titles on PC, I still saw around a 36% performance increase in gaming with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Naturally, my number would be lower if I only tested games closer to the 100% to 110% range of AMD’s generational game performance chart, but seeing visually-rich megahits like Call of Duty and Cyberpunk 2077 score such significant increases is reassuring for the performance of a brand-new processor at day one.
Is the Ryzen 7 9800X3D good for gaming?
Yes, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the best gaming CPU you can buy, taking over from its predecessor, theRyzen 7 7800X3D. 96MB ofsecond-generation 3D V-Cache in the Zen 5 architecturehelps push for higher FPS (frames per second) in games thanIntel’s top-end Core Ultra 9 285K, a rival processor that features more cores and threads, a higher clock speed, and slightly higherTDP. Ultimately, Intel’s more expensive CPU offers better multi-core performance in productivity tasks and synthetic benchmarks, but AMD wins in gaming performance.
Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Competition
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has three significant competitors, though only two would be taken seriously by anyone on a budget. Internally,Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285Kstands against AMD’s gaming CPU simply because it’s the most powerful chip in the latestCore Ultra Series 200Srange. However, this 24-core, 24-thread carries a price tag of around $589 to $630 and targets an entirely different audience who prioritizes energy efficiency within a productivity-centric software suite.
Gaming performance on Intel’s side remains relatively unchanged from its last-genCore i9-14900K, which offered similar performance to its i9-13900K predecessorand suffered from an overarchingmicrocode launch bugthat was later fixed for the continued manufacturing of 14th Gen chips.
Still,listings for the Core i9-14900K sit around $440as AMD’s Ryzen 9800X3D is ready to launch, making it an attractive option sincesome of its best motherboardssupport an established LGA 1700 socket with wide DDR4 and DDR5 RAM support, bringing down the overall cost of a custom build.
The other major competitor is a call from inside Team Red’s house, as the AMDRyzen 7 7800X3Ddoesn’t fall far enough behind the new 9800X3D to warrant an upgrade from anyone who already has one. On the other hand, those who already adopted the AM5 socket with all-new motherboards and DDR5 RAM could happily swap out their processor for this new replacement without buying any extra components, but dropping almost $500 on an 8-22% potential performance gain isn’t so tempting.
So, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D stands as a more logical upgrade path for those using aRyzen 7 5800X3Dfrom 2022. Still, this lumps users with the mandatory motherboard and RAM upgrades, though most AM4-compatible CPU coolers will work with AM5 replacements, so it’s not entirely damaging to your budget.
The bright side is that you’ll feel a more significant boost if you upgrade from the 5800X3D, with compatibility for PCIe 5.0 (Gen 5), unlocking faster storage options with the CPU bump. Overall, it’s a sticky situation because the only people who will see the most significant benefits are the ones doomed to spend extra cash on a total rig overhaul.
Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Should you buy?
You should buy this if …
✅ You want the absolute best gaming CPU on the market.
✅ You crave the highest framerate count possible for high-FPS gameplay.
You should not buy this if …
❌ You’re already using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D or high-end 14th Gen Core i9.
❌ You rely on productivity apps that demand the best multi-core performance.
Make no mistake: the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the best gaming CPU, politely dethroning its predecessor as the new king of the hill as a cache-heavy monster. However, it’s not winning any awards for productivity. It isn’t worth installing into a PC that spends most of its time crunching numbers in Microsoft Office and Teams since the9900X and 9950Xdominate that category, but it’s a far better pick for gamers than anything from Intel’s modern productivity-centric offerings.
Unfortunately, those who’ll benefit most will need to spend a sizeable amount of cash on anew motherboardand RAM upgrades, making the 9800X3D MSRP hike sting a little more than a cute $30. Nevertheless, this is the new meta for PC gaming, and nothing else can challenge its ability to deliver monstrous FPS counts if you can pair it with a capable GPU to enjoy the latest AAA titles loaded with visual luxuries.
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a hot pick for those willing to upgrade, taking over from the 7800X3D as the best gaming CPU and beating Intel’s top offering.
Ben is a Senior Editor at Windows Central, covering everything related to technology hardware and software. He regularly goes hands-on with the latest Windows laptops, components inside custom gaming desktops, and any accessory compatible with PC and Xbox. His lifelong obsession with dismantling gadgets to see how they work led him to pursue a career in tech-centric journalism after a decade of experience in electronics retail and tech support.
