AMD is about to release its new Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs, and we knew it was coming thanks to the absence of the 7800X in the original line-up. But what does that mean exactly? What is X3D and what does it do? Here’s Everything we know about the Ryzen 7000 X3D series CPUs.

Now Read: What is Ryzen X3D?

The 7000 X3D series CPU is AMD’s 2nd iteration of 3D V-cache, we saw the first hit the shelves in the form of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. The 5800X3D manages to snatch the title of the fastest gaming CPU thanks to the advanced cache, and still remains a fantastic choice among gamers on the AM4 platform. With any luck, we will see the 7000 series X3D CPUs manage similar feats.

For the sake of time, we’re going to briefly cover all the changes and differences with the X3D CPUs from AMD.

Update: The launch of the Ryzen 7000X3D series is today, and we’re already seeing leaks of beta BIOS’ and performance issues on the 7950X3D. We can’t wait to see how the Ryzen 7000X3D series shapes up.

Without further delay, here’s Ryzen 7000 X3D series: Everything we know.

What can we expect to see from the Ryzen 7000 X3D series?

We expect a few things to come from the new Ryzen 7000 X3D series. We’re taking a lot of this information from how the previous X3D series CPU performed, and some from AMD themselves at various events.

We expect to see the following:

Up to 64 MB stacked cache per chip
TSMC’s 5nm process node optimizations
Increase in Gaming performance
AM5 motherboard and cooler compatibility

X3D is expected to build on the power of the 7000 series CPUs and extend it beyond the realm of current possibility with the new 3D caching technology.

Ryzen 7000 X3D series specifications

Before we jump into it. it’s important we gain an understanding of the potential that these CPUs possess. Here are the specifications of each Ryzen 7000 X3D CPU.

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D specs

Architecture: Zen 4
Core count: 8
Thread count: 16
Boost speed: 5.0GHz
Cache: 104MB
TDP 120W

Ryzen 9 7900X3D specs

Architecture: Zen 4
Core count: 12
Thread count: 24
Boost speed: 5.6GHz
Cache: 140MB
TDP 120W

Ryzen 9 7950X3D specs

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

As we can see, each CPU looks pretty normal until you notice the massive amount of CPU cache that each chip has. This new cache is mostly 3D V-cache, a newer cache stacking technology.

What is 3D V-cache?

The AMD Ryzen processors are equipped with the 3D V-Cache technology which enhances the speed of 3D graphics-intensive applications such as video games, animation, and video rendering. This technology reduces the amount of data transfer between the main memory and GPU, leading to faster rendering times and overall improved performance.

The “3D” aspect comes from the stacking of the cache in the X3D CPUs, which is vertically stacked on top of the CCD instead of horizontally. This allows for a larger cache size within the same physical space while maintaining fast access speeds, unlike a horizontally stacked cache.

AMD has structured the 3D V-Cache on the Ryzen 9 X3D parts by placing the SRAM cache on a single CCD rather than both CCDs, optimizing gaming performance on a single CCD and preserving the benefits of higher clock speeds on the secondary die.

This results in a balanced outcome for both single-threaded gaming and multi-threaded applications without compromising clock speeds as seen in previous generations. As we know, the previous generation X3D CPU was locked to overclocking and featured a lower boost speed to accommodate the new cache. Unfortunately, this damaged the 5800X3D performance outside of gaming.

Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU performance

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D performance was showcased briefly at CES 2023, showing promise against the titan that is Intel’s i9-13900K. Here’s how it fared.

AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D gaming performance test results

The Ryzen 9 7950X3D managed on average to perform about 24% faster than the 13900K in 1080p high settings when dealing with gaming workloads. This is the breakdown of the games that AMD showcased.

Watch Dogs Legion (1080p) – Up to 9% Faster
DOTA (1080p) – Up to 11% Faster
Rainbow Six Siege (1080p) – Up to 13% Faster
Horizon Zero Dawn (1080p) – Up to 24% Faster

These are the metrics that AMD gave during it’s CES keynote presentation, so take these results with a pinch of salt until independent testers gata hold of the new CPUs.

Now how did the Ryzen 9 7950X3D fair in non-gaming tasks?

The 7950X3D managed to blow the 13900K out of the water in terms of workstation performance too, with a humongous lead in file compression and Divinci Resolve – for all your video editing needs. The 7950X3D is shaping up to be a formidable processor.

File Encryption (VeraCrypt AES) – Up to 4% Faster
3D Graphics (PassMark 10) – Up to 11% Faster
Adobe Premiere Pro (Playback) – Up to 17% Faster
DaVinci Resolve (Extended Score) – Up to 24% Faster
File Compression (7-Zip) – Up to 52% Faster

AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU performance

AMD also went on to give us a snippet of performance you can expect from the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This time, it was compared against the Ryzen 7 5800X3D to see the performance increase generationally. On average the 7800X3D managed an increase of up to 25% aginst the 5800X3D.

Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p) – Up to 10% Faster
Shadow of the Tomb Raider (1080p) – Up to 13% Faster
Borderlands 3 (1080p) – Up to 22% Faster
F1 2022 (1080p) – Up to 25% Faster

Ryzen 7000 X3D Thermals and power

Interestingly enough, the previous generation of X3D processors was limited in its capabilities because of the 3D V-cache. The new Cache was sensitive to high temperatures and as a result, the processor was limited to keep the thermals down.

It looks like the thermals may still be an issue in this interaction of 3D V-cache, but not in such an intrusive way.

It seems that the fragility of the X3D cache is still apparent, so the thermal limit and voltage of each of the 7000 X3D chips have been lowered as a result. The voltage has been locked down and the TjMax (thermal limit) has been lowered.

Thermals

The current Ryzen 7000 “X” series line-up has a TjMax of 95°C, which is normal for AMD Ryzen CPUs. However, this time around, the TjMax is lower, being set at 89°C. That’s a whole 6°C lower and it can really make a difference when trying to squeeze the best out of your CPU. This is especially true for overclocking scenarios, which are allowed this time around. Just not fully.

Power

Because of this thermal limit, CPU voltages have been restricted. The Max CPU voltage for the Ryzen 7000 series X3D processors is set at an impressive 1.4V, that’s 0.3V higher than the 5800X3D which stood at 1.1V.

The Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs will come with auto overclocking capabilities, such as PBO and Curve optimizer, but manual overclocking is yet again restricted, as high voltages and temperatures can lead to instabilities with the 3D V-cache and even damage the CCD irreparably.

AMD has chosen to opt for the 120W TDP of its higher-end X3D SKUs probably to avoid the CPU using too much power and hitting the thermal wall. Nobody likes a throttling CPU. It is, however, a miracle that AMD managed to incorporate PBO and Curve optimizer and stay within the power and thermal band. It’ll be interesting to see how well these CPUs perform

Ryzen 7000 X3D overclocking capabilities

Although there’s no manual overclocking support, AMD has built-in all the AUTO overclocking features you would come to expect from an AMD CPU. This includes AMD EXPO for memory, PBO (precision boost overdrive), and Curve Optimizer for CPU. We’re afraid you won’t be breaking any frequency world records with the new Ryzen 7000 series X3D chips.

AMD Ryzen 7000 X3D series release date

This one is a little funny because there are two set dates for the Ryzen 7000 series CPUs. The 7900X3D and the 7950X3D will be released on February 28th, 2023, and the 7800X3D will be released on April 6th, 2023.

Why is the 7800X3D lagging behind? We have a few speculations. The 7800X3D is the more budget of the tree, so AMd may be releasing it later to push sales on the higher-end SKUs. Or the 7800X3D may be reserved to combat a later Intel release. Although we see the second as very unlikely.

Ryzen 7000 X3D price

The two Ryzen 9 SKUs will be available on February 28th, 2023 worldwide, but for very different prices. The prices for each of the new CPUs are still a little steep if you ask us, and we hope that the prices are subject to reduction soon after release.

The prices for the new Ryzen 7000 X3D CPUs are as follows:

Ryzen 7 7800X3D – $449
Ryzen 9 7900X3D – $599
Ryzen 9 7950X3D – $699

These appear very close to the original prices of the 7000 “X” series CPUs. Thankfully, however, the prices of the original series dropped massively after public outcry and low sales. We don’t wish for low sales on AMD, but we do wish that the new 7000 X3D series come at a more reasonable price. Considering the cost of upgrading to AM5, we think that the new CPUs are a little steep.

Ryzen 7000 X3D series: Everything we know

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