Can you overclock the Ryzen 9 7950X3D?

Is the Ryzen 9 7950X overclockable? The answer may surprise you.

Table of Contents Table of Contents

AMD is set to release the Ryzen 7000 X3D series at the end of February 2023. With that just around the corner gamers are asking: Can you overclock the Ryzen 9 7950X3D?

Now Read: Everything we know about Ryzen 7000 X3D

There’s a reason we’re asking whether or not you can overclock the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, as the previous generation’s Ryzen 7 5800X3D was locked to overclocking due to its volatile 3D V-cache. The CPU was locked to all kinds of frequency and voltage increases, even automatic factory overclocks.

first of all, what are the specifications of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D?

---

Ryzen 9 7950X Specifications

Here are the specifications of the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

• Architecture: Zen 4
• Core count: 16
• Thread count: 32
• Boost speed: 5.7GHz
• Cache: 144MB
• TDP 120W

Everything appears normal here until you see the massive amount of 3D V-cache that the 7950X3D possesses.

---

What is the difference between the 7950X3D and the 7950X?

The main difference between the two is the inclusion of AMD’s 3D V-cache. 3d V-cache is vertically stacked on the CCD, as opposed to laterally stacked. This reduces the cache’s footprint on the CPU die without increasing access speeds.

More cache means more frequent data can be stored by the CPU. This lessens the rate at which the CPU searches system memory for information needs. System memory is much slower than CPU cache, and the more the CPU has to access system memory, the more limited it is in its operational speed.

This time around, AMD has stacked the new SRAM cache on a single CCD instead of both CCDs, increasing the gaming performance for single-core workloads, as well as preserving the clock speeds on the other CCD to help with multi-core performance. This balances the inclusion of the 3D V-cache, unlike what we saw with the 5800X3D.

---

Can you overclock the Ryzen 9 7950X3D?

In the conventional sense, no, you cannot manually overclock the Ryzen 9 7950X.

However, this time around we have the inclusion of PBO and Curve Optimizer meaning it is technically subject to automatic overclocking. At least we have some form of overclocking here, as we know, PBO is very strong. PBO often outmatches low-level manual overclocking in terms of efficiency and power.

In a sense, you both cannot and can overclock the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. But why are such limitations placed on CPUs with 3D V-cache?

---

Why does 3D V-cache restrict overclocking?

3D V-cache is extremely sensitive to both high voltages and high temperatures., and upping the core frequency produces both of them. The 7950X3D is limited to 1.4V and has a TDP of 120W. This is to keep the temperature and voltage down. 3D V-cache is extremely sensitive, and spikes in either voltage or temperature can cause instability or even damage to the cache.

And if that happens, then your CPU will be nothing more than a very expensive, very light paperweight. However, AMD has improved on this technology as we now have the typical PBO, EXPO and Curve optimizer support within the chip.