Why you should buy the Ryzen 7 5800X3D for gaming in 2022

AMD launched the Ryzen 7 5800X3D five months ago. The processor pioneered the 3D V-caching technology that Team Red is planning to implement in all of their processors starting this generation.

The 5800X3D showcased how much difference a change in caching technology can create. Gaming performance took a strong leap as it managed to beat Intel's best, the Core i9 12900KS.

These performance levels are paired with a $449 price tag. This makes it much cheaper than the Core i9 12900KS and the Ryzen 9 5950X it manages to beat.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer

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The Ryzen 7 5800X3D shows its might in video game performance

The enhanced Ryzen 7 is based on the last-gen Zen 3 architecture. It packs eight cores and 16 cores in an arrangement similar to the Ryzen 7 5800X. The processor has a base clock of 3.4 GHz and a maximum boost clock of up to 4.5 GHz. It has a 4 MB L2 cache and a whopping 96 MB L3 cache. The chip has a TDP of 105 W.

However, unlike almost every other Ryzen processor, the 3D V-caching-enabled Ryzen 7 is a locked chip. It cannot be overclocked.

On paper, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D looks like any other high-end octa-core chip. In productivity benchmarks, the processor does not stack up with other high-end offerings from AMD and the competition.

The 3D V-caching enabled 5800X managed to score 1,488 points in Cinebench R23's single-threaded benchmark. In the multi-threaded benchmark, this chip managed to snag a score of 14,804.

In comparison, the Core i9 12900K scored 2,026 points in the single-core test and an eye-watering 28,347 points in the multi-threaded test. Even the older Ryzen 7 5800X managed to beat the enhanced version with a score of 1,599 points in the single-core test and 15,481 points in the multi-threaded benchmark.

However, the enhanced Ryzen 7 shows its might in video game performance. In almost every title, the enhanced Ryzen 7 is about 15% faster than the previous Zen 3-based Ryzen chips. It also beats the much costlier Core i9 12900KS in nearly every title with better 1% and 0.1% numbers.

When compared to the newly launched Ryzen 7000 chips, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is on par with the similarly priced Ryzen 7 7700X. Despite architectural improvements and the shift to a completely new socket, the new processors barely keep up with the 3D V-caching-enabled chip.

The higher-end Ryzen 9 7900X and 7950X are only marginally faster than this chip, with only about 2-3% better numbers across multiple AAA titles.

Apart from the performance benefits, the 3D V-caching enabled Ryzen 7 has a few key benefits. Unlike the newly launched Ryzen 7000 processors, the older chip supports DDR 4 memory. Since DDR 4 RAM modules cost half that of DDR 5 memory, users can expect to save a lot of money that can be put behind a faster GPU.

Moreover, any decent AM4 motherboard, like a quality B450 option, will handle the Ryzen 7 5800X3D pretty well. Since B450 motherboard prices have significantly fallen, users can expect to save more money, which can be used to purchase a better graphics card.

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Conclusion

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a chip meant for gamers. If users solely want to play video games on their system, they can opt for this processor. However, users will be better off with other chips from AMD or the competition in case their gaming rig doubles up as a workstation.

However, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D packs some decent productivity potential. If users want to run CPU-heavy applications like Premiere Pro, Autodesk Maya, or Blender, they will not be disappointed.