AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Engineering Samples Hint at Finalized Specifications

Recent information regarding engineering samples of AMD’s upcoming Ryzen 9 9950X3D processor has revealed what are likely to be the finalized specifications of the flagship AM5 chip. Designed to expand on the success of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D in gaming performance, the new processor addresses previous core count limitations, offering a powerful 16-core, 32-thread configuration. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D showcases significant advancements in cache design and thermal optimization, ensuring competitive performance for both gaming and productivity tasks.

The processor features AMD’s refined cache architecture, combining 96 MB of 3D V-Cache with 32 MB of standard L3 cache, totaling 128 MB of L3 cache, alongside an additional 16 MB of L2 cache. Unlike its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, the new design incorporates a revamped CCD stacking method. The redesigned configuration positions the CCD above the cache, interfacing directly with the STIM (Soldered Thermal Interface Material) and IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader). This improvement eliminates thermal constraints that previously limited clock speeds on X3D chips, enabling higher operational frequencies.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D features an asymmetric cache distribution across its dual CCDs. One CCD includes 32 MB of standard L3 cache paired with an additional 64 MB of stacked 3D V-Cache, while the second CCD contains a standard 32 MB L3 cache. This design allows the processor to optimize performance for gaming and productivity workloads while maintaining an efficient thermal profile.

The processor achieves a maximum boost clock of 5.65 GHz across both CCDs, matching the performance of non-X3D variants. Maintaining a 170 W TDP, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D demonstrates improved thermal efficiency despite the additional cache layer. AMD’s software-based OS scheduler remains a crucial component of the design, ensuring gaming workloads are directed to the CCD equipped with 3D V-Cache for optimal performance.

Preliminary performance leaks suggest that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D matches the base Ryzen 9 9950X in Cinebench R23 scores for both single-threaded and multi-threaded benchmarks. This is a notable improvement compared to the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, which exhibited lower performance than its non-X3D counterpart due to frequency limitations imposed by its thermal constraints. These results indicate AMD has successfully mitigated the challenges associated with integrating 3D V-Cache on high-core-count processors.

AMD’s plans for the Zen 5 X3D lineup include the Ryzen 9 9950X3D as well as the 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D, both expected to launch in the first quarter of 2025. Full performance benchmarks, pricing, and additional details are anticipated at CES 2025, where AMD is expected to officially unveil the new processors. The event will also mark the debut of AMD’s next-generation RDNA 4 GPUs, further highlighting the company’s advancements in high-performance computing.

Sources: @94G8LA, via VideoCardz