You Don't Need The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2

AMD released its new processor, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, and while it's probably (I haven't tested it) the most powerful CPU on a mainstream platform, it's overkill for PC gaming. On the surface, the 9950X3D2 looks remarkably similar to the 9950X3D that preceded it. It's also a 16-core, 32-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, but AMD made a pretty huge change under the hood. With the 9950X3D2, rather than having one layer of 3D V-cache, the X3D2 has, well, two of them, one on each CCD, or Core Complex Die. By adding a second bundle of cache, AMD was able to squeeze 208MB of cache onto the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, compared to 144MB on the original 9950X3D. More cache means that more data is able to be stored directly on the chip, which should help a lot with latency. After all, having a huge store of cache was one of the original selling points of these X3D processors, so why not add more to it? But while that extra cache was originally a selling point for gamers, the X3D2 is instead exclusively marketed to developers and creators, which helps explain its eye-watering $900 price tag, a whopping 30% jump over the 9950X3D. If you really want to buy it, though, it's available today.Gaming Who? It's not surprising that AMD didn't even mention gaming when promoting the 9950X3D2. After all, when we tested the original 9950X3D last year, it fell behind the 9800X3D in a number of gaming benchmarks – even if it wasn't a large gap. The extra cache here probably isn't going to make a huge difference. And it seems like the few reviews that are out there confirm this. In Tom's Hardware's testing, the X3D2 is less than 1% faster in games on average. Likewise, Hardware Unboxed found this to be a largely pointless upgrade for most workloads, especially for the price. If you're just looking for the best gaming chip on the market, just grab the 9800X3D or 9850X3D, because the 9950X3D2 is clearly not made for us. Still, that hasn't stopped companies like Alienware jumping on the opportunity to shove it into its gaming PCs – just be careful and check to make sure you're not overpaying for a creator chip in your fancy new gaming rig. Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

Apr 23, 2026 - 06:54

AMD released its new processor, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, and while it's probably (I haven't tested it) the most powerful CPU on a mainstream platform, it's overkill for PC gaming.

On the surface, the 9950X3D2 looks remarkably similar to the 9950X3D that preceded it. It's also a 16-core, 32-thread desktop processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, but AMD made a pretty huge change under the hood. With the 9950X3D2, rather than having one layer of 3D V-cache, the X3D2 has, well, two of them, one on each CCD, or Core Complex Die.

By adding a second bundle of cache, AMD was able to squeeze 208MB of cache onto the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, compared to 144MB on the original 9950X3D. More cache means that more data is able to be stored directly on the chip, which should help a lot with latency. After all, having a huge store of cache was one of the original selling points of these X3D processors, so why not add more to it?

But while that extra cache was originally a selling point for gamers, the X3D2 is instead exclusively marketed to developers and creators, which helps explain its eye-watering $900 price tag, a whopping 30% jump over the 9950X3D. If you really want to buy it, though, it's available today.

Gaming Who?

It's not surprising that AMD didn't even mention gaming when promoting the 9950X3D2. After all, when we tested the original 9950X3D last year, it fell behind the 9800X3D in a number of gaming benchmarks – even if it wasn't a large gap. The extra cache here probably isn't going to make a huge difference.

And it seems like the few reviews that are out there confirm this. In Tom's Hardware's testing, the X3D2 is less than 1% faster in games on average. Likewise, Hardware Unboxed found this to be a largely pointless upgrade for most workloads, especially for the price.

If you're just looking for the best gaming chip on the market, just grab the 9800X3D or 9850X3D, because the 9950X3D2 is clearly not made for us. Still, that hasn't stopped companies like Alienware jumping on the opportunity to shove it into its gaming PCs – just be careful and check to make sure you're not overpaying for a creator chip in your fancy new gaming rig.

Jackie Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN and the PC components queen. You can follow her @Jackiecobra

Tags:

What We're Hearing: Launch Day

What's Your Reaction?

Dislike

Love

Funny

Angry

Sad

Wow

XINKER - Business and Income Tips Explore XINKER, the ultimate platform for mastering business strategies, discovering passive income opportunities, and learning success principles. Join a community of thinkers dedicated to achieving financial freedom and entrepreneurial excellence.