AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D review: Why would you buy any other CPU for gaming?

AMD launched the very first Zen 5 CPU with 3D V-Cache on an 8-core platform. Undercutting the high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 and AMD Ryzen 9 processors, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers a better price to performance for gaming, thanks to its impressively large cache. Having fewer cores than the leading flagship chips shouldn't cause any issues in-game since more titles don't care for the number of cores and threads on the CPU.

For those with mid-range gaming PC builds, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D can stretch its wings. In my comprehensive testing, I found the processor performs incredibly well in various games at 1440p and 4K. Where it does struggle compared to other CPUs is productivity and media work, but that's not where this CPU is positioned and for the price, it's one of the better options for gaming with Zen 5.

About this review: The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D was sent by AMD for review. AMD did not see the contents of this review prior to publication.

Price, specs, and availability

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an MSRP of $479, which is in line with the rest of the AMD Ryzen 9000 lineup. Being the first (and only) Zen 5 processor with a 3D V-Cache at the time of review, the 9800X3D is the go-to CPU for gamers hunting the best frame rates at all resolutions. Present on the CPU are 8 physical cores with a total of 16 threads and cores can burst up to 5.2GHz when situations allow.

Full support for DDR5 RAM and PCIe 5.0 is included, but the 105MB of cache is the star of the show with this processor and it's the reason why it's great for gaming. The 120W thermal design power (TDP) rating means the 9800X3D can be adequately cooled with more affordable solutions. Pulling as high as 150W showcases the efficiency of AMD's Zen 5 and TSMC's manufacturing process.

Bringing 3D V-Cache to Zen 5

AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D replaces the popular AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D and this launch makes sense as it's the X3D with better efficiency and overall results. Most changes to the 9800X3D are in the 3D V-Cache, which AMD is branding the second generation of this technology. In essence, the cache has been moved from on top of the Zen cores to below them. An issue that affected previous-gen X3D chips was temperatures and clock speeds. The latter had to be reined in to prevent the chips from getting too hot due to the CPU cores not directly interfacing with the cooling solution.

With this switch, the 9800X3D can boost higher than its predecessors and remain at high frequencies for longer. Compared to the 7800X3D, this new chip has a 500 MHz faster base speed and 200 Hz faster boost clock. This should allow the processor to perform closer to an AMD Ryzen 7 9700X for everything outside gaming. Clock speeds are also important for gaming, which is where some of the in-game uplifts come from. A side effect of moving the 3D V-Cache is the ability to fully overclock the processor, allowing for configuring the Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) and making manual adjustments to get more from the CPU.

• 	AMD Ryzen 7 9700X	AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D	AMD Ryzen 9 9900X
  Socket	AM5	AM5	AM5
  Cores	8	8	12
  Threads	16	16	24
  Base Clock Speed	3.8 GHz	4.7 GHz	4.4 GHz
  Boost Clock Speed	5.5 GHz	5.2 GHz	5.6 GHz
  PCIe	5.0	5.0	5.0
  Cache	40 MB	104 MB	77 MB
  RAM support	DDR5-6000	DDR5-5600	DDR5-5600
  Graphics	AMD Radeon Graphics (2 cores)	AMD Radeon Graphics	AMD Radeon Graphics (2 cores)
  Architecture	Zen 5	Zen 5	Zen 5
  Process	TSMC 4nm, 6nm	TSMC 4nm, 6nm	TSMC 4nm, 6nm
  TDP	65W	120W	120 W

DDR5-6000 remains the sweet spot for the Ryzen 9000 series with this new processor. It should be possible to go above this recommendation, but AGESA will automatically switch from 1:1 to 1:2 and I found things to become slightly too unstable when attempting to use anything above 6400MT/s at 1:1. A latency of around 2ns can be added through using notably faster system memory with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Although we're seeing impressive RAM speed numbers come out of Team Blue's camp, a solid low-latency DDR5-6000 kit with this AMD Chip would more than suffice.

Impressive in-game performance

Better productivity scores

I use the same test benches for reviewing components, but we also include other setups should manufacturers provide specific hardware to match their findings. AMD provided a motherboard, RAM, and an SSD with Windows 11 preloaded. XDA supplied the GPU, PSU, and CPU cooler.

We start with the usual suite of productivity and performance tests. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D performed well across the board, surpassing the 7800X3D in every test aside from 7-Zip, which we've seen significant drops with Zen 5 compared to other chips. The 9800X3D draws more power than its predecessor, allowing it to clock faster and achieve better results in these tests and gaming, though you won't see it pass 150W, this is only when pushing the CPU hard in stress tests. Gaming with this chip would see lower values.

At idle, I saw the 9800X3D hover around 25W and 32 degrees Celcius. Using AIDA64, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D managed to achieve some decent results with the installed DDR5-6000 28-36-36-96 RAM kit. Even without going all-out with DDR5-8000 as we've seen with the latest Intel Core Ultra 200 processors, AMD can hold its own with tighter timings.

A gaming powerhouse

Productivity and general computing performance results weren't brilliant, but that's not what this chip was designed for. Cyberpunk 2077 is a demanding game and is a great pick for pushing your system hard with gorgeous visuals and ray tracing effects. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D performs incredibly well with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE, resulting in high frame rates for high and ultra presets in Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p. 4K is possible on this GPU and the CPU can keep up with scores above 60 FPS on average, though we did have to be conservative with our RT settings.

Measuring frame rates in games such as Counter-Strike 2 or League of Legends is almost a joke these days and the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D managed an average FPS of 679 at 1080p in Valve's popular FPS. Ashes of the Singularity is CPU intensive but the 9800X3D performed admirably with a reasonable average of 67 frames per second. Even compared to the previous-gen 7000 X3D processors, this new Zen 5 gaming CPU sees considerable gains that translate to not only higher frame rates in many games but also better lows for more stable experiences.

No discrepancies were found with the results and the CPU performed well across the board. Power draw is where the 9800X3D wins against the competition, notably from Intel, due to how efficient this thing is in games.

Should you buy the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

You should buy the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D if:

• You will primarily play games using the PC.
• You want the best gaming performance.

You shouldn't buy the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D if:

• You require the most powerful CPU for productivity.

We've been impressed by AMD's Ryzen CPUs with 3D V-Cache and the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is no exception. This processor isn't some computing miracle. It won't decimate all other processors but does an edge when paired with equally capable graphics cards. The price AMD can launch the 9800X3D effectively undercuts the Ryzen 9 series and Intel's Core Ultra 9 range. Its efficiency is where things get interesting.

The 120W TDP is low and so is the 150W max power draw with default settings — recorded in a stress test environment. For gaming, you'll see the CPU hover around 100W, depending on various factors, including the game, GPU, and visual settings. For $479, this is one mighty processor and one that offers additional options for gamers who don't require the most powerful CPUs for computing tasks.