AMD Ryzen 9 7950X review

Unbelievably, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X prices properly over $100 lower than it did on the time of launch just a few months in the past, dropping from $699 to a way more palatable value of round $579. This brings it in step with the Intel Core i9 13900K, so each CPUs are prepared for the large flagship showdown.

This actually is the battle for the most effective gaming CPU title, with these processors providing the perfect that AMD and Intel can at the moment provide. Whereas CPUs with an enormous variety of cores aren’t for everybody, and also you very hardly ever want greater than six for gaming, these multi-core monsters are perfect for video encoding, streaming, rendering, and all kinds of duties that may take full benefit of a lot of CPU cores.

Ryzen 9 7950X specs

These are the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X specs:

The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X nonetheless has the identical 16 cores (and 32 threads by way of SMT) because the earlier Ryzen 9 5950X, and it’s equally based mostly on two core advanced dies (CCDs) with eight cores every. It additionally has a a lot larger TDP of 170W, in comparison with 105W for the Ryzen 9 5950X.

Overclocking the latter supplied enormous positive factors in multi-threaded efficiency, so it seems to be as if AMD has elevated the facility out there to it to be able to clock up the enhance frequencies.

Certainly, the Ryzen 9 7950X has a large 5.7GHz peak enhance frequency, in comparison with 4.9GHz for the older CPU. Even when each CPUs processed the identical variety of directions per clock (IPC) at inventory velocity, that enhance would provide a large soar in efficiency, however AMD can also be claiming a 13% uplift in IPC too.

Below the hood is an L2 cache that has doubled in dimension to 16MB (1MB per core), which ought to lower latency, whereas boosting efficiency. You now get built-in Radeon RDNA2 graphics contained in the chips too, though it’s solely highly effective sufficient to drive shows relatively than video games based on AMD.

These quoted clock speeds aren’t simply theoretical both. We noticed peak all-core enhance frequencies of as much as 5.2GHz throughout testing, which is a big enhance over its predecessor’s all-core clock boosts, with the single-core enhance usually hitting 5.7GHz. What’s extra, in the event you’re involved about warmth and energy draw, AMD has launched a characteristic referred to as Eco Mode. This lets you drop the thermal design energy (TDP) from the usual 170W to both 105W and even 65W.

That’s simply as properly, because the Ryzen 9 7950X is a relatively toasty CPU out of the field. Its core temperature frequently rose to 90°C in multi-threaded workloads, even with our customized water-cooling loop hooked as much as it, which implies a handbook overclock is finest averted. Nevertheless, this temperature fell dramatically when utilizing Eco Mode, largely because of boosting frequencies being curtailed, falling to a 4.7-4.9GHz all-core enhance at 105W and three.6-3.8GHz at 65W.

Ryzen 9 7950X benchmarks

Even when it was simply operating at 65W, the Ryzen 9 7950X’s Cinebench multi-threaded rating of 29,821 was nonetheless quicker than that of the Intel Core i9 12900KS and AMD Ryzen 9 5950X, and with dramatically decrease temperatures too.

On the 105W profile, the 7950X scored 31,165, which continues to be removed from matching the monstrous 38,422 achieved by the CPU at inventory velocity, however sadly the latter consequence can also be overwhelmed by the Core i9 13900K, which managed to prime 40,000 factors. There’s not a lot in it right here, although – the 7950X continues to be very highly effective, regardless of ostensibly having eight fewer cores than the 13900K.

It was an in depth battle in our personal RealBench checks too, with the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X rising victorious with an total system rating of 495,461 in comparison with 486,267 for the Core i9 13900K. Specifically, the single-threaded energy of AMD’s Zen 4 structure was demonstrated in our GIMP picture modifying benchmark, the place 4 of AMD’s newest CPUs beat the Core i9 13900K.

The Intel chip had the sting in our closely multi-threaded Handbrake video encoding benchmark, however the distinction was minuscule. Once more, there’s so little in it you can simply suggest both the 13900K or the 7950X for closely multi-threaded workloads.

The Core i9-13900K additionally beat the Ryzen 9 7950X in our recreation checks too, nonetheless, and the top-end AMD CPU failed to supply a lot of a profit over cheaper Ryzen 7000-series processors in video games both. The Ryzen 9 7950X was additionally noticeably slower than the Ryzen 7 7700X in Watch Canine: Legion.

Ryzen 9 7950X energy draw

The place the Ryzen 9 7950X actually has the higher hand over the Core i9 13900K, nonetheless, is relating to energy draw. Its peak draw of 376W for the entire check system was far decrease than the 546W for the Intel CPU at load. When it comes to efficiency per Watt, the Ryzen 9 7950X is the clear winner right here, particularly when the efficiency distinction between the 2 CPUs is so small.

Ryzen 9 7950X value

Due to latest competitors from Intel, the Ryzen 9 7950X value has dropped dramatically within the few weeks because it first launched. The AMD Ryzen 9 7950 value is $579, making it costly, however the value isn’t unreasonable for the large quantity of multi-threaded energy on provide.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that there are different prices to issue into your funds in the event you select this CPU. You’ll want a brand new Socket AM5 motherboard for a begin, however you’ll additionally want DDR5 reminiscence. That is an space the place Intel has the higher hand, as its newest thirteenth gen CPUs can use older DDR4 reminiscence in addition to DDR5. That is unlikely to be an enormous issue for you in the event you’re contemplating spending this a lot cash on a CPU, although.

Ryzen 9 7950X conclusion

There’s little doubt that the Ryzen 9 7950X now sits at a much more aggressive price ticket and affords some actual competitors to the Core i9 13900K. The 2 chips commerce blows in content material creation software program, whereas the Intel CPU is barely faster in video games. There’s truthfully not a lot to decide on between the 2 CPUs relating to efficiency.

Energy consumption is considerably decrease on the AMD chip, although, plus it has the benefit of low-power Eco modes that scale back energy additional and provide improbable efficiency per watt.

In fact, this costly 16-core beast continues to be a CPU most of us can solely dream of proudly owning. Nevertheless, in the event you want a CPU for content material creation first, with a smattering of informal gaming on the facet, and also you additionally prioritize energy effectivity, the Ryzen 9 7950X is a surprising instance of the Zen 4 structure’s capabilities. 

Options

Intel Core i9 14900K

Now that Intel’s 14th gen CPU lineup is with us, the most effective competitor for all-out multi-threaded energy is Intel’s newest Core i9 14900K. It has eight P-Cores and 16 E-Cores, providing you with a large complete of 24 Raptor Lake cores, as with the Core i9 13900K. Nevertheless, Intel has elevated the clock velocity proper as much as 6GHz.

This an awesomely highly effective CPU, however keep in mind that you simply’ll want an honest PSU and CPU cooler to maintain it in test. We suggest a 1,000W energy provide in the event you’re additionally utilizing a high-end CPU, and a 360mm AIO cooler. Learn our full Intel Core i9 14900K overview for extra info.

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D

If you wish to have your cake and eat it, AMD’s newest Ryzen 9 7950X3D additionally provides you 16 cores, similar to the 7950X, however then provides a large stack of L3 cache. Not solely is it nice for multi-threaded work, but it surely’s additionally a killer gaming CPU. That stack of 3D v-cache reduces the necessity for the CPU to web page to system reminiscence, decreasing latency, and dashing up body charges. It’s not low cost, although.

This submit initially appeared on Customized PC, which has been reviewing PC {hardware} for over 20 years and is now a part of . Be a part of our 500k-member Fb group to debate this overview.