AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D vs Ryzen 9 7900X: Which is the better option for gaming?

It's not uncommon for people to get confused when choosing strikingly similar hardware, and the same can be said for the Ryzen 9 7900X and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D. AMD raised consumers' expectations at CES 2023 when they unveiled their latest Ryzen 7000X3D series, leaving enthusiasts eagerly anticipating their arrival.

These advanced CPUs incorporate the innovative Ryzen X3D technology, which enables a considerable increase in cache sizes. This is a feature that users are undoubtedly looking forward to taking advantage of. While the 7900X has been on the market since September 2022, the 7900X3D is getting launched on February 28th, and it'll be worth exploring both CPUs to find out which one's better.

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AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D vs Ryzen 9 7900X comparison: Specs, performance, better value for money

Specs	Ryzen 9 7900X	Ryzen 9 7900X3D
Architecture	Zen 4	Zen 4
Core count	12	12
Thread count	24	24
Base Clock	4.7GHz	4.4GHz
Boost speed	5.6GHz	5.6GHz
Cache	64MB	128MB
TDP	170W	120W
Max. operating temp	95°C	89°C

When comparing the powerful 7900X and 7900X3D CPUs, one can notice several differences besides their core and thread count is the same. The most significant difference is Ryzen 7900X3D's employment of the X3D technology, which results in a massive cache size boost. This innovative technology, AMD 3D V-Cache, uses a packaging technique to stack extra cache layers on top of the CPU.

While this technology is undoubtedly impressive, it does have some drawbacks. For instance, stacked caches are more vulnerable to overheating and high clock speeds, resulting in the 7900X having a higher base clock speed and maximum operating temperature.

When gaming, having a larger cache size is always preferable. Essentially acting as a storage space for frequently accessed data, a larger cache size means demanding tasks can be executed with less chance of the program being forced to rely on slower main memory. This is where the 7900X3D shines, with its innovative X3D technology offering a significant boost in cache size over 7900X.

However, it's important to note that the 7900X still has a few advantages over its 3D counterpart. For instance, the 7900X boasts a higher base clock speed, which can be crucial in some use cases. While both processors have the same maximum boosted clock speed, the 7900X3D's base speed drops to 4.4GHz, lower than the impressive 4.7GHz base speed of 7900X.

The Ryzen 9 7900X3D is expected to hit the market with a price tag of $599, whereas the Ryzen 7900X initially launched at $549 but can now be purchased for around $450 with some searching. While neither of the CPUs is exactly budget-friendly, they do offer impressive performance and reliability.

As the Ryzen 9 7900X3D variant is yet to be released, it's difficult to say whether it will be superior in performance. However, at the moment, it appears to offer better performance thanks to its larger cache size.

If you come across a heavily discounted Ryzen 7900X for sale, it may be worth going for it since the Ryzen 9 7900X3D may not see any significant price reductions for some time since it's a newer release.

However, there are chances that you may see price drops on the Ryzen 9 7900X3D soon, making it an even more attractive option for buyers looking for high-end performance.