Is Ryzen 9 7950X3D good for gaming? In short, yes.

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D was released in February, and has since overshadowed the Zen 4 CPUs released towards the end of 2022. So, is Ryzen 9 7950X3D good for gaming?

It launched alongside the Ryzen 9 7900X3D, which isn’t quite as powerful or expensive, though still offers up many of the same benefits. Added into the mix is the Ryzen 9 7800X3D that launches April 6th, so if you’re looking to get involved with the most powerful iterations of the X3D CPUs – you’ve got plenty to choose from.

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D contains AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology, hence the name X3D. This technology stack is marketed as most applicable to server and desktop applications, though alongside that it’s slated as capable of creating ‘the world’s fastest gaming desktop processor’, via AMD.

3D V-Caching is only a feature compatible with these CPUs, and the earlier Zen 4 chips aren’t quite as capable. However, this feature isn’t the only thing making the Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor so great – so what is?

Ryzen 9 7950X3D gaming performance & benchmarks

Following on from the recent Ryzen 9 7950X3D reviews that have been making their way to the internet – we’ve been able to have a look at various different benchmarks and specs for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Perhaps the most notable of which was The Verge’s review, in which they labelled the 7950X3D as ‘closing the Intel gap for gaming.’

Their gaming performance test bench recorded the eclipsing the Intel Core i9-13900KS in 1080p performance in the following titles: Metro Exodus, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Watch Dogs: Legion and F1 22, whereas Cyberpunk, Gears 5 and Assassins Creed Valhalla saw Intel trump this round.

However, the gap between the two is minimal – we’re talking single-digit FPS variances – so this doesn’t necessarily mean that the Intel Core i9-13900KS is better, in fact we’ve already compared the Ryzen 9 7950X3D against the Intel Core i9 13900KS to settle that debate.

Is the Ryzen 9 7950X3D price good for gaming?

If you’re looking to pick up the Ryzen 9 7950X3D – the biggest obstacle in your way will definitely be the price.

While it doesn’t cost quite as much as the 13900KS, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU is going to cost you $699, which for many, is more than just an arm and a leg.

The only Zen 3 X3D CPU to launch was the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which cost $449 on release. While the 5800X3D can’t be directly compared to the 7950X3D due to the differences in power-level, there’s still clearly a huge disparity in price that can’t be ignored.

A preferable alternative might be Ryzen’s upcoming 7800X3D, which we’ve directly compared to the 7 7800X if you’re interested. With a significantly lower MSRP, the 7800X3D might just strike the best balance between budget and performance.

Is the Ryzen 9 7950X3D too expensive?

We don’t personally think that the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is too expensive for what you’re getting.

Without a doubt the most powerful Zen 4 CPU to be released, it’s going to fight tooth and nail with the 13900KS for the title as the best consumer friendly CPU available, and likely too the best CPU for gaming.

It is expensive, but is it too expensive? We don’t think so.

Final word – is Ryzen 9 7950X3D is good for gaming?

The flagship Ryzen Zen 4 CPU is, as expected, incredibly powerful and stakes a compelling case for its gaming performance. The slight price advantage over the 13900KS also makes the performance you’re getting so much more worth it, and we could anticipate seeing this CPU in many of the top gaming rigs out there.

You can pick up the Ryzen 9 7950X3D from the following retailers:

• Amazon
• Best Buy
• Newegg

If you’re thinking of building a PC, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D should be your primary interest for a gaming PC with no budget. Alongside that, you might be wondering if 8GB RAM is enough, or if 16GB is better for gaming when you build your PC.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ryzen 9 7950X3D good for video editing?

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D will definitely be fantastic for video-editing thanks to the 3D V-Caching which will exponentially speed up processing capabilities.

Is Ryzen 9 7950X3D an AM5 socket chip?

You will need a compatible AM5 motherboard to use a Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU.