AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU review: Blazing fast but at a hefty cost

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D currently sits atop the stack of Team Red processors. This chip is a slight improvement over the Ryzen 9 7950X we previously reviewed. The major difference lies in the 3D V-cache technology that powers these new chips. AMD has built this high-end 16-core processor specifically for gaming usage, which further prompted us to check it out.

First off, the 7950X3D is not for everyone. Paying over $600 for a CPU doesn't make sense for many users unless you are building a heavily expensive $5,000 gaming rig. The processor specifically targets enthusiasts and brings the best of the underlying Zen 4 architecture to the table.

AMD was kind enough to send over the processor for us to check out. We ran the chip through its paces and have some interesting insights to share.

Is the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D worth the cash?

Pre-delivery

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D isn't much different from its non-3D counterpart. Both chips feature sixteen cores and 32 threads, one of the highest figures in the market. The processor also packs a much bigger L3 cache, thanks to the new 3D V-cache technology that helps stack more cache on top of each other.

The 3D V-cache technology is more stable in this generation. Thus, AMD has pushed the operating clock speeds much higher — almost close to the speeds of the Ryzen 9 7950X.

The detailed specs of the two highest-end Ryzen 9 CPUs are as follows:

Processor name	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X	AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Number of cores	16	16
Number of threads	32	32
Manufacturing process node	TSMC 5nm FinFET	TSMC 5nm FinFET
Socket	AM5	AM5
Connectivity	PCIe Gen 5	PCIe Gen 5
Cache	L2: 16 MB, L3: 64 MB	L2: 16 MB, L3: 128 MB
Base clock	4.5 GHz	4.2 GHz
Boost clock	5.7 GHz	5.7 GHz
TDP	170W	120W
Memory support	up to DDR5-5200	up to DDR5-5200
Integrated graphics	Dual-core RDNA 2-based Radeon graphics @2200 MHz	Dual-core RDNA 2-based Radeon graphics @2200 MHz

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D has been geared towards gamers who seek top-class performance from their rig. Priced heftily at $699, the chip has a pretty niche audience, with not many people dumping more than $400-450 on a CPU.

Unboxing

Box contents of the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D (Image via Sportskeeda)

The unboxing experience remains unaltered with the new Ryzen 9 X3D processor lineup. However, the package has received a visual overhaul to better fit the theme of the 3D V-cached chips.

Inside the box, we get the processor and some paperwork. Overall, the unboxing experience is as good as it gets for a processor. However, it isn't the best we have seen so far.

What is the Zen 4 3D V-cache technology?

A look at the clock speed patterns of the 7950X3D (Image via Sportskeeda)

The Ryzen 7000 X3D processors were launched in January 2023. These chips feature the 3D V-cache technology pioneered by the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. However, AMD has changed how things work with this tech in this generation.

For starters, the sixteen cores of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D are divided into two core complexes (CCX1 and CCX2). The former of these two houses slightly inferior cores that potentially boost to speeds slower than the other half.

This comes as a result of AMD stacking layers of 3D V-cache over this core complex, which helps in bursty workloads like gaming. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D has a massive L3 cache of 128 MB compared to the 64 MB cache found on the non-3D variant.

The CCX2 is a carbon copy of its 7950X equivalent. These cores can potentially turbo to 5.7 GHz clock speeds.

Test bench

A detailed spec list of the test bench used is as follows:

CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
Motherboard: ASrock X670E Taichi
RAM: Kingston Fury Beast RGB 2x 16 GB DDR5-6000
Cooler: DeepCool LT720 360mm high-performance liquid cooler
Graphics card: Zotac RTX 4060 Ti Twin Edge OC
SSD: Gigabyte Aorus NVMe 1 TB PCIe Gen 4
PSU: Corsair RM1000e 1000W fully modular
Case: Open-air test bench

Synthetic benchmarks

Let's kick things off with the processor's performance in some synthetic benchmarks that test its full potential in both single-core and multi-core workloads. Do note that these benchmarks are indicative of computing horsepower and don't necessarily hint at how the chips will perform in real-world scenarios.

The 7950X3D isn't the fastest chip in the block, as is evident from this benchmark. In both Cinebench and Geekbench 5, the processor is slower than the 7900X.

In multi-core workloads, the chip is faster than the 12-core 7900X, where the extra four cores of the $700 CPU pay off. It is worth noting that the 7950X still manages to pull ahead of the costlier processor. This is mainly because of the higher overall operating speeds and 16 high-performance cores of the chip without 3D V-caching technology.

Productivity benchmarks

Our next procedure tests the processors' might in productivity benchmarks. This section is especially important for those eyeing the Ryzen 9 7950X3D for professional workloads like video editing, 3D modeling, and more.

The Blender Junkshop, Monster, and Classroom benchmarks are a test of the 3D modeling performance of a chip. Although these workloads are primarily handled by a graphics processor, it is possible to get them done on a CPU as well. The performance is way inferior. Thus, this benchmark is more of a test of the overall computing prowess of a chip.

The Ryzen 9 7950X again dominates this benchmark, with the new 3D V-cached counterpart being about 10% slower.

The V-Ray benchmark measures the chips' capabilities in rendering workloads. For content creators and 3D professionals, the performance recorded in this test can be pivotal. Much like what we saw in the previous benchmarks, the costlier 7950X3D is slower than the 7950X. The chip manages to beat the 12-core 7900X, however.

The 7-zip benchmark is a test of file compression workloads. In this assessment, the 7950X3D and the 7950X rank fairly close, provided they share a similar DNA. The 7900X is much slower than the high-end Ryzen 9 chips here.

Gaming benchmarks

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is built to shine in video games. And it doesn't disappoint in this regard. We couldn't directly pitch it against the Ryzen 9 7950X, which was benchmarked with the RTX 4090 (a card we don't have on hand anymore). Hence the comparison is mainly against some mid-range offerings like the Ryzen 5 7600X and the Core i5 13600K.

We tested the CPU in six video games. The list includes a few old DirectX 9-based games, new titles, and competitive releases. This gives us a clear idea of what to expect from this CPU.

The 7950X3D performs almost the same as the other CPUs in the bunch, as is evident from the benchmark results above. Some games report massive differences in the 0.1% low framerates, but that is mainly due to scenario-specific issues.

All the chips in the above list are more than enough for the RTX 4060 Ti, and the GPU is the major bottlenecking factor. Thus, the results do not accurately represent what to expect from the respective processors.

A similar trend continues in the 1% low numbers, where the logged performance is nearly the same across all games tested.

In average framerates, however, we can see that the high-end 7950X3D has a clear advantage over the other processors in the test. However, the gain is too small for us to justify the $500 extra the high-end chip asks for. Spending the extra money on a better graphics card will result in much higher framerate gains.

Thermal efficiency

Like most other Zen 4-based Ryzen 7000 chips, the 7950X3D keeps boosting until it runs out of thermal headroom. However, for the 3D V-cached chip, the maximum operating temperature is slightly lower. We recorded a peak temperature of around 90°C in the AIDA 64 system stability test.

While gaming, the chip runs way cooler. This is especially because the Ryzen 9 7950X3D isn't used to its complete potential while running a graphics-heavy game like Cyberpunk 2077.

Overall, the temperature trends are pretty identical to what we saw with other Ryzen 7000 processors. The X3D chip is slightly more thermally efficient because of its slightly slower CCX1.

Power efficiency

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is rated for a 110W power draw. In our testing, the chip drew a maximum of 111W only to settle around 108W. In comparison, the 7950X can draw almost 170W under full load. During testing, the non-3D chip hit a maximum of 236W and settled around 216W.

While gaming, the chip draws way less power. In Cyberpunk 2077, we logged a maximum of 80.5W of power, and the processor drew close to 70W for most of the test. The detailed power draw characteristic is as follows:

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a huge improvement in terms of power draw. The chip delivers numbers close to the 7950X while drawing much less power.

Clock speeds

The maximum boost clocks hit by multiple cores of the processor (Image via Sportskeeda)

The new Ryzen 7000 chips are all rated for high maximum boost clock speeds northwards of 5 GHz. The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is no exception to this: its maximum boost clock speed is 5.7 GHz. However, there's a catch to this: only a single core of the processor can hit the number under full load.

While gaming, we recorded a couple of cores hitting 5.7 GHz under full load. Five other cores maintained speeds of over 5.5 GHz. Meanwhile, other cores in CCX1 were around 5,050-5,250 MHz.

The average effective clocks of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, while stressed with AIDA 64, are as follows:

Average effective clocks while gaming are even lower, given the chip isn't being used to its fullest potential. The clock speed characteristic is as follows:

The Zen 4 architecture is quite different from other older formulas from Team Red. All other chips we tested in the past reported the same behavior as the 7950X3D.

Integrated graphics performance

The 7950X3D packs an RDNA 2-based integrated graphics processor, which is not built for gaming. But we tested it for the sake of science.

Counter-Strike: Global Offensive was pretty playable at the highest settings. However, the performance is no different than other chips in the Zen 4 lineup.

A similar trend continues in Fortnite Chapter 4. With graphics set to the Performance mode, the game was very playable at 1080p. However, framerates were remarkably close to the numbers recorded with other chips in the lineup.

Overall, the iGPU paired with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D isn't built for gaming, and we don't recommend buying it for playing video games.

Value

The 7950X3D installed on the ASRock X670E Taichi board (Image via Sportskeeda)

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D is pretty costly. Launched for $699, it is currently selling for $669 on Newegg as part of a promotion. The chip is a massive win in terms of power draw. However, the $120 markup over the 7950X erodes the validity of this plus point. The cheaper non-3D variant also beats the costlier 3D V-cached processor in every professional workload.

Ryzen 9 chips are not built with gamers in mind. It is for pros who want the maximum out of their rig. Thus, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is not a worthwhile chip that gamers should opt for. Professionals, on the other hand, can rely on the 7950X.