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You may be wondering what’s the difference between Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs 9 7950X3D and you’d certainly not be alone.
AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D has been one of the world’s fastest PC gaming processors, or at least until the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D came on the scene. It was the first desktop processor stacked with L3 cache, delivering a very speedy performance. Up there with the best gaming CPUs on the market right now, it’s a great option for gamers who want a powerful CPU for a killer price.
But what about the Ryzen 9 7950X3D? The X3D CPUs are AMD’s most impressive advancement in 2023, released on February 28th. Since its release, the 7950X3D has rivaled some of the best Intel 13th Gen CPUs. As AMD’s flagship processor, the 7950X3D will boast AMD’s 3D v-cache that significantly gears it towards heavy gaming workloads.
You may be weighing up which CPU to go for, and how it matches up to what your main usage will be – whether that be for competitive gaming, video editing, or general workloads. If you’ve just upgraded your GPU to AMD’s RX 7900 XTX or XT, consider our selection of the best CPUs to complement AMD’s flagship GPUs.
We’re hoping to guide you in your decision by discussing the specs, price and overall performance of both CPUs. We’ll look at everything from clock speed to TDP, and weigh up which CPU offers the best value for money so you can make an informed choice.
So let’s get jump right in! Here are the differences and similarities between AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs 9 7950X3D
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D – specs
| Spec | Ryzen 7 5800X3D | Ryzen 9 7950X3D |
| Architecture | Zen 3 | Zen 4 |
| Core Count | 8 | 16 |
| Thread Count | 16 | 32 |
| Boost Speed | 4.5GHz | 5.7GHz |
| Cache | 96MB | 144MB |
| TDP | 105W | 120W |
As you can see from the above table, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a monster – we don’t think there’s any other way to put it! Below we’ll break down the specs and make sense of them together.
Boasting 16 cores and 32 threads, there’s a lot of processing power in the Ryzen 9 7950X3D that’s difficult to compete with.
Read More: Ryzen 9 7950X vs 7950X3D – which CPU should you go for?
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D in comparison has half the cores and threads. On one level, it’s a no-brainer – the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is clearly the new king of the castle. However, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D still has its place. We shouldn’t be too quick to forget that it’s beaten the toughest opponents in gaming, including the 5950X and the Core i9-12900K.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D – architecture
Another key difference between the two CPUs is their architecture. Zen 3 is built on the 7nm process, while Zen 4 is built on the 5nm process.
Read More: Best CPU for RTX 4070 Ti – our top picks
This translates to higher performance and lower power consumption for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. A second difference is that Zen 4 will support the new PCIe 5.0 interface. We’ve discussed the differences between PCIe 4.0 and PCIe 5.0, but essentially, PCIe 5.0 doubles the bandwidth, once again equating to higher performance.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D – core speed
As predicted with AMD’s latest flagship, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D has a much faster core base and boost speed.
CPU Core speed is a measure of how fast a CPU can execute instructions and is one of the most important factors in determining a processor’s performance.
Read More: Ryzen 7 7700 vs Ryzen 7 7700X – which CPU should you go for?
To put it simply, the Ryzen 97950X3D is better at multitasking as the CPU can switch between different tasks more quickly. It also can perform tasks at a faster rate.
In the same way that the Ryzen 7 5800X3D smashed its predecessor, the Ryzen 7 3800X in terms of performance, the 7950X3D appears to have done the same here.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D – cache
As expected, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D has far more cache than the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
More cache is considered good because it allows the processor to access data more quickly. When the CPU needs to access the data, it first checks the cache to see if there is data already stored there. If it is, then it can recall it much faster than if it had to retrieve it from the main memory.
Read More: Ryzen 7 7700 vs Ryzen 7700X
So, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D easily takes the edge here and should be your choice if you use your PC for tasks that involve a lot of data manipulation. More specifically, the 7950X3D is the stronger choice for video editing tasks, 3D rendering, and intensive gaming.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D – TDP
You’ll also notice the Ryzen 9 7950X3D has a larger TDP than the 5800X3D.
TDP stands for Thermal Design Power, and is a measure of the maximum amount of power that a CPU is expected to dissipate under normal operating conditions. As a general rule, a CPU with a higher TPD will require more cooling to dissipate the heat generated by the increased power consumption.
Read More: Best cooler for i9-13900K (Air, Liquid, RGB)
So, if you’re leaning towards the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, you might need to invest in a new cooler to cope with the TDP demands. Ahead of its release consider checking out WePC’s pick of the Best CPUs specifically updated for Zen 4 and 13th gen.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D vs Ryzen 9 7950X3D – price
As you may have feared, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D will cost a lot more than the 5800X3D.
The Ryzen 9 7950X3D, at the time of writing, costs a whopping $1,199
Though this isn’t as high as we feared, it’s still not an easy sum to stomach. If your workloads are often intensive and involve graphics processing, video editing, and 3D rendering, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D will best serve your needs.
In contrast, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is selling for considerably cheaper. In our opinion, it’s up there with one of the best CPUs at its price point, particularly for gamers. The arrival of AMD’s Zen 4 generation will also bring down the price and make that deal sweeter.
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Core Count
8
Thread Count
16
CPU Speed
4.5 GHz
TDP
105W
Final word
As we’ve come to understand following the latest tech releases, your choice is ultimately a balancing act between price and performance.
There’s very little to complain about when it comes to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. As one of the fastest processors available, your PC will be able to handle everything thrown at it. Its premium pricing makes it pretty inaccessible for the average gamer though, meaning it’s likely that the 5800X3D is better suited to your needs.
Of course, many users won’t need a CPU this good, so the Ryzen 7 5800X3D might be the smarter option, especially if you’d like to save a few hundred dollars in the process.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ryzen 9 7950X3D worth it?
AMD’s Ryzen 9 7950X3D will be one of the best CPUs in the world. It’s equipped with V-cache technology and high boost clock. Over the previous generation, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D has made a considerable leap, so if you’re in need of a powerful CPU, it’s definitely worth it.
How fast is Ryzen 9 7950X?
The Ryzen 9 7950X offers 16 cores, and is built on the new Zen 4 architecture. It can reach up to 5.7GHz boost clock depending on the workload, making it one of the fastest CPUs in the world.
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