The 9950x3D is INSANE! Yep. You heard me its Insane!
I do want to explain a few things before I get into that.
Disclaimer: This post is meant to be more of an informative one to newer Gamers or PC builders. I also want to clear up a LOT of misinformation spread by both AMD and Hardware Retailers. You may see a lot of ADs calling the 9950x3D “The best gaming CPU” This is kind of true but mainly isnt. DO NOT fall for this gimmick. Its a gimmick to get you to blow $700 on a CPU. It is NOT an upgrade over the 9800x3D. If you are a gamer and want the Best of the Best CPU than the 9800x3D is the Only CPU you should look at.
Sorry just had to clear that up. With that said. I am going to explain why this is and what the 9950x3D actually is. When Gaming its a 9800x3D (due to the fact that its a dual CCD chip with 8 cores on each CCD. Only 1 of the 2 CCDs have the X3D die. So in games you will be using the CCD 0 while CCD1 is parked doing nothing). The 9950x3D is essentially 2 CPUs in 1. When Gaming its a 8 core 9800x3D. When not Gaming its a marginally slower 16 core 9950x. So for people like myself who do a lot of video editing/rendering along with other workstation task you get the best of both worlds! You have a CPU that can destroy any workstation task you throw at it and rock in any game you play.
I ordered the 9950x3D and just put it in my rig today. I must say its totally insane! I didnt expect such an uplift over my 7950x3D. In gaming its on par with maybe just a few more FPS than my 7950x3D; HOWEVER in workstation task? Its a Night and Day difference! It runs cooler by a LOT and saves a ton of time off my Workstation task over the 7950x3D. The 9950x3D is truly the best all around CPU for niche folks like myself. I am VERY happy with it! As an added bonus on my Chip I was get a 6400mhz CL32 Ram kit to run at 1:1 using just the EXPO profile (To those curious? it made next to no difference in games over my old 6000mhz CL30 kit. Ram speed means little to nothing on X3D CPUs due to the large X3D cache on the CPU which reduces the reliance on system memory, making faster RAM less impactful on performance in Gaming. Outside of Gaming is a differant story)
Hope this info helped some of you. Lilybugg I look forward to your input on this. Swarfmeister Im sure you will respond soon too
I’ve had a chance to now go through several written reviews so my thoughts are below
positive thoughts
if ever there was a CPU designed specifically for shifty this it
extremely impressive gains over the 7950X3D in both gaming & apps, AMD really optimized the scheduling
competes or beats the Ultra 9 & 9950x in real world content creation, AI, work station apps
& matches the 9800X3D in gaming
impressive power draw and cooling needs for the performance you get
slight nitpicking (maybe you can touch on this with your own experience)
you need to install Microsoft’s Game Bar for proper game detection?
not just a BIOS update but a chipset one as well?
“Provisioning Packages Service eliminates the need to reinstall Windows for a new Ryzen processor to function correctly. However, AMD still recommends a fresh install.” - so which is it?
every now and then it trades better or worse performance with the 9800X3D in certain games in some reviews.
9800X3D is the better CPU for most people especially gamers
9800X3D is still late to ship on Amazon (April delivery) but back in stock on newegg & best buy. Did the 9950X3D create some supply chain issues?
all in all fantastic CPU for a specific niche audience although you pay the price for it. Seems to be a bit of jumping through hoops to get the the CPU optimized that AMD could at least clear up for people to make it easier to understand.
You do. But I have mine Disabled. I do NOT like relying on Windows to decide which CCD to use. So I am doing the same thing that I did with my 7950x3D. I am using Process Lasso. Here are the steps I have taken…
Set the Prefered CCD in the Bios to “Frequency Cores” (aka CCD1)
DISABLED Game Mode
Terminated Game Bar Processes and Disabled it from being allowed to Run in the Background
Manually set all my Games to Run on CCD0 in Process Lasso. (This is a one and done. You do not have to do it every time)
This way my computer runs all its processes on CCD1 (Frenacy CCD) and I have set all my Games in Process Lasso to run on CCD0 (X3D cache). This way CCD0s 8 Cores are 100% dedicated to my Game. This HEAVILY reduces latency because all my Background task or anything else I could do on a second Monitor will run on the other 8 cores aka CCD1.
To recap This is kind of cool and I love it. I have 8 3D V-cahce cores 100% dedicated to my game and ONLY my game and 8 Frequency Cores running my background task and everything else. Not even the Game Launcher runs on CCD 0. Just WoW itself.
This is the most informative video on the actual changes to the 9950x3D vs the 7950x3D.
Cue the video up to the 1min mark and watch from there to the 2.5min mark. Thats where he talks about the major changes.
100% True! AMD and Retail Ads have done a pretty good job at blurring that line and making the 9950x3D sound like an upgrade. Its not. Basically my own personal opinion is if you are not good with using Process Lasso dont even look at the 9950x3D.
Its really not. Its pretty easy. By setting the Bios to Frequency Cores the only thing you have to do in Process Lasso is manually set your Games themselves to Run on CCD0. Everything else will automatically run on CCD1. Like I said This is a one time thing you have to set up. EZ peasy
ONLY if you are moving from a Dual CCD X3D CPU to a Single CCD X3D CPU such as the 9950x3D to a 9800x3D. Id still personally recommend this but according to my contact at GamersNexus AMD has resolved this issue. He was able to swap between a 9950x3D to a 9800x3D without any Core Parking issues. Safest thing is to still do the fresh install IMO.
so this is where things are confusing for me - is the 9800x3D better than the 9950x3D for WoW, even though it has far less L3 cache? Or are these “9800x3D is best for gaming” advertisements based on other games that are not L3 cache hungry?
I’m on a 7950x3D right now, playing on 4K res - and its very good in raids, but I always want to squeeze out max fps whenever I can via upgrades - and not sure if it’s really worth it to swap to the 9800 or 9950 at this point.
I use process lasso like the OP to put WoW on the correct CCD.
the 9800X3D would be better for your wallet, while I’ve yet to see any professional reviews for the 9950X3D in WoW when you look at games that can take advantage of “X3D”, the two CPUs are giving you identical p performance in most professional reviews and in even in games that don’t take advantage of X3D the performance between the two is neck and neck.
that depends on your GPU and 4k monitor. If your GPU is maxed out in performance already, there may not be a real world difference worth the investment to squeeze out a little performance. Also if your 4k monitor is already at max refresh with your system, there would not be a real world visual performance increase.
Would the 9800x3D be an upgrade from your 7950x3D? In gaming 100% No. Very minor FPS gains. However in workstation task its a Night and day upgrade. To clear this up it comes down to use case and budget. If you do work station task OUTSIDE of Gaming then yes. The 9950x3D over the 7950x3D would be an Upgrade for you. However if you are just Gaming your eyes would not even notice a difference. Because I dont. I get slightly better 1% lows on the 9950x3D over my old 7950x3D. Thats it. Only time I even notice is if I have an FPS monitor on.
100% True.
Necc The reason pure gamers only need the 9800x3D is they are not doing work station task so 90% of the time they will have 8 cores sitting there doing next to nothing. So they literally paid for a 16 core CPU but 90% of the time are only using 8 cores. So the 9950x3D would be a waste to them. Most people do not realize what it means when you have 3D- Vcache on just 1 CCD. Its means in Gaming you have 8 cores to work with thats it. My point above was AMD and Retailers make the 9950x3D sound like the best of the best. The Top dog. Without explaining what it really is. Its more of a 9800x3D+9700x in the same rig. Also its a slightly slower 9950x when you go to do workstation task.
Couldnt have said it better myself. Great point!
Only caveat to this would be streamers. They can use process lasso and reduce latency over a 9800x3D because they Game on CCD0 and run their background task and streaming software along with other stuff they do on a second monitor like participating in chat on CCD1. For them its like having a 9800x3D and a 9700x running at the same time all in one rig. As an added bonus for them they will have a 16 core CPU if they go to edit some videos/content
the 9950X3D really should be positioned as the best CPU for professional work & top gaming performance and those two needs have to go hand in hand when looking at the CPU. The 9800X3D is a top gaming performance CPU equal to the 9950X3D and a very good work CPU just not at the level as the 9950X3D and a few other CPUs at specialize in work station/AI, multicore apps, etc., but they often have their own drawbacks particularity in gaming performance for their price.
This right here should be the bottom line. Thi was more of my overall point with my OP.
Its upsetting because AMD and retail advertisers do a very good job of blurring that line. Mainly just to get the common consumer who doesnt know any better to needlessly spend more $$ thats why the 9950x3D goes out of stock within minutes of restocking. Do you think that many people need a 16 core CPU!? No way in heck! They are just Buying into the Hype AMD and Retail advertisers are selling.
All the Tech youtubers just push that hype further. What is GamerNexus most watch part of their 9950x3D review? “Gaming Benchmarks” yet its ironic that LEAST watched part of the entire 9950x3D review was the “Production Benchmarks”. Ironic when its much more of a Production CPU.
Im on a 4090 too. Saw next to no difference in wow after my upgrade to the 9950x3D. I bought it to upgrade my workstation not gaming. It does run cooler though. Because the the 3D-Vcache doesn’t have a blanket on it anymore basically. 9000 series x3D CPUs are no longer highly subjectable to heat and voltages since they put the 3D V-Cache below the CCD instead of on top of it like in the 7950x3D
can you squeeze out some better lows, probably although it may not be noticeable as shifty stated but…
so you are not fixing a problem just scratching an upgrade itch. Remember no CPU, be it the Intel 8600k or AMD 9800X3D can fix upstream issues in MMOs, only downstream. You would be better off getting a sharpie, writing 9950X3D on your 7950X3D and save yourself some money. When your hardware no longer give you the performance you want (very good in raids) upgrade then as there will most likely be something even better on the market or cheaper on the market.
This I honestly think Necc would be pissing away $$
Necc has made no mention of needing his PC for workstation task. If on the other hand he says dude my PC is my Job. When I am not Gaming I am code compiling, Video Editing or doing 3D animation. Then hands down the 9950x3D would be an upgrade! Because when it comes to workloads time is $$
If just Gaming? Take it from someone whos on was on the Same CPU and GPU as you Necc its not an upgrade. It would be a side grade. Tradings apples for apples.
