AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D reviewed: 5 key takeaways you need to know

This remaining week of January is a crowded one for CPU releases. Monday noticed Intel’s newest cell chip formally debut—and on Thursday, AMD will launch its latest desktop processor, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, into the world. 

However whereas laptop computer buyers have all however a slam dunk choice in Panther Lake-powered machines, DIY desktop PC builders could not universally profit from Group Purple’s expanded X3D lineup. It’s not a nasty chip—not even a bit. In actual fact, the 9850X3D now takes the crown as finest gaming chip, with each stable numbers and a aspect profit securing that spot.

So why this muted suggestion? It boils down (as all the time) to cost. However this time, maybe not fairly in the best way you’d count on. Let’s dig into the 5 key items of information you need to find out about this new CPU.

Simply $20 extra for the very best gaming chip

The AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D is a calmly souped-up model of the prevailing 9800X3D—similar core and thread counts, TDP, and base clock velocity, however with a better increase clock. Its MSRP additionally climbs barely—$499, or $20 greater than its predecessor’s launch value of $479.

Right here’s the factor: When the 9800X3D launched in late 2024, it dominated. In benchmark after benchmark, it topped its most important rival, Intel’s Arrow Lake-based Core Extremely 9 285K. Positive, the 285K managed to maintain an edge in productiveness duties, however for gaming, you needed AMD’s X3D half. And even when AMD let unfastened with X3D variations of its beefy 9950X and 9900X elements, the 9800X3D nonetheless saved tempo with these powerhouse siblings. It posted framerates just like the 9950X3D and 9900X3D, generally nonetheless even popping out barely forward.

Accordingly, the 9800X3D was the very best gaming chip…till the 9850X3D confirmed up. However whereas the latter constantly delivers higher numbers in video games, it doesn’t dramatically zip previous its older sibling.

Don’t count on large positive factors over the 9800X3D, although

Pragmatically talking, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is much less a brand-new chip and extra a greater 9800X3D. (My colleague Adam Patrick Murray, who carried out all of our testing, calls it “the very best 9800X3D you should purchase.”)

Chip fanatics gained’t be stunned by this information, based mostly on the specs—and the worth. That $20 enhance in value offers you a equally small efficiency increase, largely a % or two at 1080p within the video games we examined. And realistically, should you’re already getting virtually 580 frames per second in a sport at 1080p on the 9800X3D, it gained’t make a cloth distinction to then rise to over 600 fps. 

The larger achieve is in content-creation duties like encoding, the place we noticed as a lot as a 6.6 % enhance in efficiency. Do these outcomes make the 9850X3D a waste of sand, because the web likes to say? No—as a result of not the entire advantages come instantly from measuring framerate.

Continued RAM advantages

A lesser-known perk of the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is one shared by its fellow X3D elements—sturdy efficiency on slower reminiscence kits. Unbiased testing has proven this already for previous X3D chips, with Tom’s {Hardware} noting that the 9800X3D may submit related framerates with both DDR5-5600 or DDR5-6000 kits.

AMD is speaking up this level once more for the 9850X3D, claiming that taking place to DDR5-4800 RAM will solely lose you 1 % of efficiency in comparison with DDR5-5600. Given how related the 9800X3D and 9850X3D carry out, that probably means you gained’t endure a dramatic distinction if selecting between DDR5-4800 and DDR5-6000 RAM for a construct. It can save you some money.

AMD

In the meantime, Group Purple’s personal inside benchmarks present the 9850X3D nonetheless beating Intel’s Core Extremely 9 285K on slower RAM. Its take a look at configurations paired DDR5-6000 with the 9850X3D and 9800X3D, whereas the 285K relied on DDR5-8000. (These numbers had been shared with reviewers previous to launch, as reference knowledge.)

We’ll have to attend for unbiased testing to make the profit right here concrete—and in the meanwhile, the fee financial savings aren’t gigantic between DDR5-4800 and DDR5-6000 kits (both 16GB or 32GB configs). However with the continuous doom and gloom hovering over the state of reminiscence availability and pricing, this selection may turn into extra invaluable sooner or later.

Similar energy draw because the 9800X3D

As for energy draw, wanting on the 9850X3D’s power consumption simply supplies additional proof of this new processor behaving like a greater binned 9800X3D.

At idle, it’s nearly equivalent to the 9800X3D. Then, when put to work in 3DMark’s Time Spy Excessive benchmark, the 9850X3D’s energy draw solely barely will increase—not surprising, given its larger increase clock.

In broader context, these outcomes enable AMD to nonetheless retain a lead over the Intel Core Extremely 9 285K. The unique 9800X3D pulled barely extra juice at idle in comparison with the 285K, however then comparatively sipped electrical energy beneath load. The 9850X3D ought to be related, with only a minor discount in its effectivity in comparison with its Group Blue rival.

The price of options will decide what’s finest for you

Regardless of its highly effective enchantment, outdoors forces will maintain the 9850X3D from being a straightforward, go-to suggestion for all top-tier gaming builds. How accessible will probably be relies upon largely on what occurs with pricing for different chips vying for DIY builders’ {dollars}—together with its near-twin, the 9800X3D.

If AMD greenlights reductions on the 9800X3D to distinguish it from its brand-new sibling—a definite chance, given AMD’s previous historical past—then the 9800X3D may nonetheless be the higher choice.

Foundry

In the meantime, rumors of an Arrow Lake refresh have begun making the rounds, that means that AMD’s finest chips may have stronger competitors than anticipated.