AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D Review: Zen 5's minor X3D refresh reigns as best gaming CPU while keeping Core Ultra 200S Plus at bay [Notebookcheck]
Posted by hannopal@reddit | hardware | View on Reddit | 59 comments
Method__Man@reddit
It keeps nothing at bay... its price is fucking ludicrous
xole@reddit
"The first 1GHz AMD processor, the Athlon (K7) "Orion", was released on March 6, 2000, for $1,299 in 1,000-unit quantities."
That's equivalent to $2,505.53 today. So $899 isn't really that crazy.
LuluButterFive@reddit
Back then you can overclock a mid range cpu to high end performance
$150 Opteron 165 was able to oc to match or exceed the $1000 FX-60
INITMalcanis@reddit
Was that 1Ghz a mid-range CPU...?
AreYouAWiiizard@reddit
Oh no, better not buy it now, I was looking forward to playing 3DMark...
Successful_Ad_8219@reddit
Does anyone care about synthetic gaming benchmarks anymore?
UpsetKoalaBear@reddit
It would be nice if Intel kept the model numbers in sync across Laptop/Desktop CPU’s.
Why do the new laptop CPU’s use the 3xx numbering scheme but the new desktop CPU’s use the 2xx numbering scheme?
I understand this is just a refresh of Arrow Lake, as opposed to a new architecture like Panther Lake, but surely I’d want to keep them in sync?
soggybiscuit93@reddit
The numbers aren't in sync because the product line isn't in sync. Ultra 300 series is Panther Lake. There is no Panther Lake desktop line, so there's no desktop Ultra 300 series.
Geddagod@reddit
I mean, Intel did that with Arrow Lake -U technically being Meteor Lake refresh. That one was even more egregious since they literally called the code name of that Arrow Lake too, not just the numerical branding.
soggybiscuit93@reddit
MTL-R being 200U was egregious, but it's still a bit different.
Intel didn't call RPL-R the Ultra 100 series either, just like they didn't call ARL-R the Ultra 300 series
ResponsibleJudge3172@reddit
Because laptops have explicit mobile power saving designs. SOC is different. Architecture tweaks are different.
EnglishBrekkie_1604@reddit
2 reasons:
Intel seems to want to avoid wasting new series numbers on a refresh like they used to. Over a third of the Core I series generations were just refreshes.
Panther Lake was intended to also be a desktop generation at some point. That almost certainly died because 18A isn’t up to snuff, it simply can’t clock fast enough for desktop.
shawman123@reddit
review is saying early 2027 for Zen 6 desktop. So that would be 2.5 year after Zen 5 release. I guess its pointless to release it now with insane memory/storage pricing. Who will look at DIY desktop build in this environment except those who look to upgrade and I think that was anyway a niche market even before this AI craze.
AMD already has the lead with X3D cpus. I dont think this moves the needle that much. No one would upgrade from 9800X3D to this chip. New DIY build is not practical in today's times. So this seems to be done more for crossing a checklist for 2026 release. Focus for both Intel/AMD seem to be on DC where they are struggling to get the chips out due to packaging capacity(not sure)?
lorner96@reddit
Core ultra 200s plus is about half the price though…
SoulCrusher2018@reddit
On one hand, I'd get a decent uplift upgrading from Alder Lake today, only the other hand, I don't need to buy new RAM if I keep my current system (I 'cheaped out' and went with 64GB DDR4).
Dinkeroni@reddit
How is 64gb “cheaping out” that’s more than enough for gaming and pretty much anything unless you have some special use case
SoulCrusher2018@reddit
The DDR4 part was the cheaping out part. My use case was blender (I was starting to mess around with physics simulations).
FitCress7497@reddit
That's what they said in the review.
lorner96@reddit
What’s the point in including it in the headline when it’s obviously not in anywhere near the same price category though
ElementII5@reddit
Premium products always carry a higher price tag and are still always compared to the cheaper ones. Apple, Nvidia etc. this is nothing controversial. And one can argue that the platform makes it still cheaper. Anybody choosing AM5 now has considerable options in the future.
Question-master3@reddit
Imo tbb platform doesn't make it cheaper, Lga1851 boards are the same price as am5 boards, can get a mobo and 270K for the same price as the 9850X3D
ElementII5@reddit
Yes, it does. If I want to upgrade to a Zen6 maybe even Zen 7 later on I can do so with the same board.
Question-master3@reddit
That doesn't make the platform cheaper, it makes upgrading your cpu cheaper. Currently, it costs less to buy a 270K + Motherboard then it does to buy a 9800X3D + motherboard. The platform costs the same atm
trackdaybruh@reddit
Would it depend on where you got the pricing?
Microcenter does a bundle deal where there is a 9850x3D + 32GB DDR5 + X870 motherboard for $699. Meanwhile a bundle for the Intel 7 270K+ with also 32GB and Z890 motherboard is only $50 cheaper than the 9850 bundle
Question-master3@reddit
UK pricing for me, bundles aren't really a thing here. 270K is going at MSRP here
lorner96@reddit
Porsche 911 review, insane performance and handling, keeps Toyota Corolla at bay
dabocx@reddit
Porsche 911 vs Corvette is actually a really common comparison and has been for decades even as the price gap between them has grown further.
Kryohi@reddit
The difference here is that the 9800X3D doesn't really have direct competition, unless you want to compare it to a 14900KS with tuned memory. Its focus is gaming performance and Intel has no similar chip right now.
Any_Tone_7091@reddit
Clickbait for people who don’t know the price of either
Plank_With_A_Nail_In@reddit
People who will buy these do not care about the cost.
ConsistencyWelder@reddit
Only because no one wants it.
neueziel1@reddit
Would I see a fps jump with a 4090 and 7800x3d or should I wait till the end of am5 with 1180x3d
asfsdgwe35r3asfdas23@reddit
Unless you are playing at 720p, your CPU is not a bottleneck, so upgrading will be a waste of money; you will have exactly the same fps with a 7800X3D, a 9850X3D or a 1180X3D. And the 7800X3D is not going to be a bottleneck anytime soon. So relax and enjoy your PC, you are good for at least 5 years.
acayaba@reddit
I got a 20fps jump in forza horizon 5 going from a 7800X3D to a 9850X3D that I also overclocked by 200MHz so yea depending on title you get some gains
Method__Man@reddit
Sigh.... people are so....
The 4090 is a 4K GPU. CPU barely matters at all. Y
lord_lableigh@reddit
Starcitizen begs to differ
BNSoul@reddit
Refresh? It's just a factory overclocked 9800X3D with nothing new in it, increased power draw and thermals for unnoticeable gains at 1080p on a 5090. I can manually set my 9800X3D to 5.6 at 1.25v and it runs exactly like this but cooler (most 9850's run at 1.3+) however I dialed it back to 5350 MHz at 1.10v since I play at 1440p ultra settings with DLSS Q, thus rendering the overclock unnecessary.
I agree it's a way to get a better binned 9800X3D now, but those above average samples were already available before AMD started putting them aside to charge a little extra for them. The greed is real.
soggybiscuit93@reddit
AKA, a refresh
creachur90@reddit
Who buys a 5090 to game at 1080p?
timorous1234567890@reddit
People who use DLSS Performance to output to a 4K screen at high frame rates or to use Path Tracing.
DiggingNoMore@reddit
I game on a 1900x1200 monitor with a 5080. Everything is on Ultra settings all the time.
Sopel97@reddit
people who care about smooth gameplay
GasSchaf@reddit
nobody, but its the best way to test for CPU performance, to ensure GPU is not an issue
BNSoul@reddit
maybe for competitive online gaming
SplitBoots99@reddit
My 9850X3D runs cooler than my 9800X3D build. It’s just a better bin all around. 5.8ghz on a couple cores when it has the headroom is insane. 75C max while playing cpu intensive games with an avg of 63C overall during sessions. All this on a Montech cooler. 25,748 is my R23 score also.
BNSoul@reddit
Maybe your 9800X3D was a lemon, 63c gaming is insane when you can play at 40c with the GPU bottlenecking your system. That said, the fact you went and bought a 9850 when you already had a 9800 says the type of user you're (the dream of every tech business out there).
Sopel97@reddit
you're wasting energy on cooling if you're trying to keep your cpu as low as 40c, fix your fan curves
BNSoul@reddit
I'm just at 45% pump and fans
SplitBoots99@reddit
It’s my only hobby these days as a new dad. Gave up car drag racing, golfing and gun collecting. It’s not really expensive to me. I have like 4 computer builds and 2 servers in my office at home.
Back to the topic, the 9800X3D is from the first batch at launch. It scores well, just doesn’t have the best bin when it comes to power usage and voltage. Still hangs fine with a decent score in testing apps.
Also running a static Oc is nothing I care to do. PBO does just fine for managing the CPU’s needs either Low power draw or high. Have you pushed that CPU all core in benchmark/stress tests? What is your max temp at full load?
BNSoul@reddit
Oh congrats on the baby, that is a life changer for sure. Yeah you were a bit unlucky with your 9800X3D, I got one on launch day and as I stated above it can do 5.6 at 1.25 and 6400 1:1 at 1.24 so I guess I was lucky. Are you getting a 9950X3D-2 ?
SplitBoots99@reddit
Nope, I don’t need excessive cores for my fun computers. My DL380 Gen 10+ servers are where I run production apps and such. I’ll def be getting zen 6 in whatever X3D package it comes in for a single CCD setup.
BNSoul@reddit
Nice, same here, a monolithic 10 or 12 core 3D cache CPU is all I want for my future upgrade (and a 6080 with a 20+ GB VRAM buffer).
GraXXoR@reddit
I wish they’d refresh the AM4 5 series. I bet a lot ofmpeoem would buy a refreshed 5xxx series given the impracticality of upgrading ram today.
EnigmaSpore@reddit
They actually did a couple years ago with the 5600 xt, 5800 xt, and 5900 xt. They just never refreshed the x3d chips though.
Solaihs@reddit
I went from a 1700x to a 5950x on the same motherboard, it was such a massive jump in performance that I think for me personally I would consider that the bigger factor over performance today of a chip tbh.
rchiwawa@reddit
If I was buying today, like I did in 2018 when I bought the 2700x, I would absolutely be picking up a 200s plus chip...
It gives me some hope for the next intel platform to be sure.
gemmy99@reddit
Nah. I build a week ago and I'd rather stay on am5. Got 7800x3d and can swap to 10800x3d when it comes out and drops in price.
Im not going underdog rute anymore. Value + longevity is my main focus
Question-master3@reddit
7800x3d is definitively a good buy atm, no reason to go 9800X3D if you plan to stay on am5
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