AMD’s new Ryzen 7 9850X3D is… okay

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. 

But whereas laptop computer consumers have all however a slam dunk possibility in Panther Lake-powered machines, DIY desktop PC builders could not universally profit from Team Red’s expanded X3D lineup. It’s not a foul chip—not even a bit. In reality, the 9850X3D now takes the crown as finest gaming chip, with each strong numbers and a facet profit securing that spot.

So why this muted suggestion? It boils down (as at all times) to cost. But this time, maybe not fairly in the way in which you’d anticipate. Let’s dig into the 5 key items of information you must find out about this new CPU.

Just $20 extra for one of the best gaming chip

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

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

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

Don’t anticipate big good points 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 best 9800X3D you can buy.”)

Chip fans gained’t be stunned by this information, based mostly on the specs—and the worth. That $20 improve in value offers you a equally small efficiency enhance, principally a p.c or two at 1080p within the video games we examined. And realistically, should you’re already getting nearly 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 p.c improve in efficiency. Do these outcomes make the 9850X3D a waste of sand, because the web likes to say? No—as a result of not all the advantages come immediately 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. Independent testing has proven this already for previous X3D chips, with Tom’s Hardware noting that the 9800X3D might publish comparable 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 p.c of efficiency in comparison with DDR5-5600. Given how comparable 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. You can avoid wasting money.

AMD

Meanwhile, Team Red’s personal inner benchmarks present the 9850X3D nonetheless beating Intel’s Core Ultra 9 285Okay on slower RAM. Its check configurations paired DDR5-6000 with the 9850X3D and 9800X3D, whereas the 285Okay relied on DDR5-8000. (These numbers had been shared with reviewers previous to launch, as reference knowledge.)

We’ll have to attend for impartial testing to make the profit right here concrete—and for the time being, the price financial savings aren’t gigantic between DDR5-4800 and DDR5-6000 kits (both 16GB or 32GB configs). But with the continuous doom and gloom hovering over the state of reminiscence availability and pricing, this selection might turn out to be extra priceless sooner or later.

Same energy draw because the 9800X3D

As for energy draw, wanting on the 9850X3D’s vitality consumption simply gives 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 Extreme benchmark, the 9850X3D’s energy draw solely barely will increase—not surprising, given its increased enhance clock.

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

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

Despite its highly effective attraction, outdoors forces will preserve the 9850X3D from being a simple, go-to suggestion for all top-tier gaming builds. How accessible it will likely 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 risk, given AMD’s previous historical past—then the 9800X3D might nonetheless be the higher possibility.

Foundry

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

And then there’s the elephant within the room—the reminiscence shortages. Realistically, these constructing DDR5 methods will search the potential finest deal to compensate for painful RAM pricing. The 9850X3D could finest all different CPUs in exams, but when a builder can discover a cheaper bundle cope with a unique (but nonetheless extremely performant) processor and RAM, which may be essentially the most viable choice. I’ve seen some surprisingly good RAM bundle offers from Newegg up to now week alone, for instance.

Such is the problem that AMD faces, regardless of its bragging rights—builders in love with this new high gaming chip might nonetheless accept one thing else. Ultimately, market costs will find yourself deciding the 9850X3D’s destiny on the streets.