AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 9900X Review: Productivity Powerhouse, Gaming Underdog

AMD boldly proclaims its new Ryzen 9 9950X as the world’s best processor, and in some areas, that claim holds true. As the flagship of the Zen 5 range, it promises unprecedented performance. However, not all of AMD’s promises translate into real-world results. While generational improvements are evident, and AMD reclaims some performance crowns lost to Intel, the Ryzen 9 9950X and 9900X find themselves in a challenging position due to lower Zen 4 pricing and the dominance of AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology in gaming.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 9900X Specifications

Ryzen 9 9900X on its boxThe Ryzen 9 9950X and 9900X largely mirror their predecessors in core configuration, cache size, and even maximum boost clock speed. The primary difference lies in power consumption, specifically for the 9900X, which boasts a 120W TDP compared to the 7900X’s 170W.

Pricing is the most noticeable change, with both Ryzen 9 models receiving a $50 price reduction. However, this reduction is less impactful than it appears, considering AMD’s tendency to quickly lower prices after launch. These adjusted prices offer a more realistic expectation of actual retail cost.

Crucially, current Ryzen 7000 CPUs are significantly cheaper. The 7950X hovers around $520, and the 7900X is around $360. While price drops are expected with new releases, these prices are important to consider. Zen 5’s performance gains don’t always justify the higher price, especially compared to discounted last-gen models.

While the specifications appear similar, architectural changes are significant. Zen 5 features a dedicated 512-bit data path for AVX-512 instructions and prioritizes single-core performance, delivering substantial gains in specific workloads.

Test Setup

RTX 4080 in Test BenchTwo near-identical test benches were used for the benchmarks. The data is primarily recent, collected within the last week, with some older results from the Core i9-12900K (Cinebench) and Ryzen 9 5950X (Handbrake) included for context. These older results followed the same testing methodology.

The optimal configuration for Zen 5 is still being explored, with debates around performance optimization. While some suggest disabling SMT for gaming improvements, this review maintained default BIOS settings, enabling only Resizable BAR and the memory overclocking profile. Precision Boost Overdrive remained on Auto.

Intel’s microcode update, addressing instability in 13th and 14th-gen CPUs, was not tested due to its unavailability for the Z690 motherboard used. The performance impact of this update is expected to be minimal (around 2%).

Productivity Performance

Cinebench R23 Multi-Core PerformanceAMD’s Zen 5 CPUs deliver impressive performance gains in productivity. The 9950X surpasses the 7950X by 12% and the i9-14900K by 10% in Cinebench R23 multi-core. The 9900X demonstrates an even greater improvement, outpacing its predecessor by 16%.

Cinebench R23 Single-Core PerformanceThis highlights the impact of Zen 5’s claimed 16% IPC improvement. While both CPUs show a 12% increase in single-core performance over their predecessors, this falls slightly short of the advertised 16% gain.

Blender PerformanceIn real-world applications, the gains are closer to AMD’s claims. The 9950X is 11% faster in Blender than its predecessor, while the 9900X shows a near 15% improvement.

Handbrake PerformanceHandbrake performance demonstrates a similar trend. The 9950X is 14% faster than the 7950X, while the 9900X matches the 7950X and outperforms its predecessor by 10%. The inclusion of the Ryzen 9 5950X highlights the significantly larger performance jump between Zen 3 and Zen 4 compared to Zen 4 and Zen 5.

Photoshop Performance7-Zip PerformanceWhile AMD maintains a lead in Photoshop and 7-Zip, the margins are minimal compared to the significantly cheaper Ryzen 7000 series.

Y-Cruncher PerformanceY-Cruncher showcases a massive difference, with the 9950X and 9900X delivering exceptional single-core performance when calculating Pi. Multi-core performance gains are less pronounced.

Jetstream 2 PerformanceIn the browser-based benchmark Jetstream 2, AMD reclaims its leading position after falling behind the i9-14900K.

Overall, productivity performance gains range from 10% to 15%. This is respectable but doesn’t match AMD’s initial claims of up to 56% and 55% improvements in Blender and Handbrake, respectively. While the CPUs perform well, AMD’s marketing perhaps overstated Zen 5’s generational leap, which feels more like a refinement of Zen 4 than a revolutionary change.

Gaming Performance

Average Gaming PerformanceAMD claims an average 5% performance increase over last-gen CPUs and a 2% advantage over the i9-14900K. However, even AMD’s internal benchmarks reveal only marginal gains. Our testing suggests a 5% improvement over last-gen and a 3% deficit compared to Intel’s i9. It’s important to note that these small differences can be sensitive to the specific games tested. Adding titles like Starfield or League of Legends would significantly alter these margins. Even between identical CPUs, variations of 1% to 2% are possible.

These minor differences are less significant when compared to the substantial gains offered by the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. The 7800X3D’s value proposition is compelling, often outperforming more expensive options in gaming.

Ashes of the Singularity PerformanceAshes of the Singularity provides the clearest win for Zen 5, with both the 9950X and 9900X delivering identical, leading performance. While more of a CPU benchmark than a widely played game, this result validates the test bench setup.

Final Fantasy XIV PerformanceFinal Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail reveals a negligible generational improvement, while the 7800X3D and Intel’s latest i9 CPUs significantly outperform AMD’s Ryzen 9 models.

Hitman 3 PerformanceFar Cry 6 PerformanceThe 7800X3D’s value proposition is further reinforced in Hitman 3 and Far Cry 6. While the new Ryzen 9 CPUs offer improvements over their predecessors, the 7800X3D remains the superior choice for gamers.

Similar results were observed in Red Dead Redemption 2 and Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, with minimal generational improvements and the 7800X3D maintaining its lead.

F1 2022 PerformanceF1 2022 presented an anomaly, with a performance regression observed in Zen 5 CPUs. While AMD suggests data inaccuracies, a clear explanation is pending. This regression was consistent across multiple Zen 5 CPUs, suggesting a broader architectural issue.

All game benchmarks consisted of three runs, with the average result presented. However, the narrow performance margins make these results susceptible to variations.

Zen 5 clearly isn’t designed primarily for gamers. This isn’t inherently negative, given the affordability of Zen 4 CPUs, which offer excellent value for gaming-focused builds. Even the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, AMD’s previous flagship, is significantly cheaper than the 9950X.

LeelaChessZero PerformanceFinally, LeelaChessZero, an AI chess engine utilizing AVX-512 instructions, showcases the impressive performance of Zen 5 in specific workloads, demonstrating the effectiveness of the dedicated 512-bit data path.

Not Built for Gaming

Ryzen 9 9950X in MotherboardAMD faces a complex situation. The Ryzen 9 9950X and 9900X deliver decent generational improvements and challenge Intel in productivity, but fall short in gaming. AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology creates market segmentation, making CPU selection challenging. This might explain the initially slow sales of Zen 4.

Even without considering X3D models, Ryzen 9000 faces internal competition. Significant performance leaps are limited to specific applications, making the cost savings of Ryzen 7000 a more compelling option for many users.

The Intel comparison adds another layer of complexity. While AMD achieves victories, Intel’s upcoming Arrow Lake processors threaten to reclaim the performance crown, given the narrow margins between the 9950X and i9-14900K.