AMD’s Ryzen 9 9000 series of processors is impressive for computing, offering up to 16 cores and super-fast clock speeds that almost make overclocking redundant. Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO) takes all this to the next level with on-the-fly tuning to get the absolute most from the CPU within the constraints of the attached cooler solution. I recently gave my gaming PC a relative boost with an upgrade from a Ryzen 7 9700X to a Ryzen 9 9950X.
It was mostly positive, though there were a few things I wish I knew before making the switch.
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Performance gains depend on usage
It doesn’t have a huge impact on gaming
The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is no slouch and manages to pack a punch where it matters most, thanks to the 8 physical cores, 16 threads, and boost speed of up to 5.5 GHz. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a big step up with double the cores and threads, and a slightly higher clock speed. Interestingly, AMD was able to increase per-core speeds with considerably more cores, which makes the 9950X an absolute weapon in terms of computing performance.
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AMD Ryzen 7 9700X AMD Ryzen 9 9950X Socket AM5 AM5 Cores 8 16 Threads 16 32 Base Clock Speed 3.8 GHz 4.3 GHz Boost Clock Speed 5.5 GHz 5.7 GHz PCIe 5.0 5.0 Cache 40 MB 81 MB RAM support DDR5-6000 DDR5-5600 Graphics AMD Radeon Graphics (2 cores) AMD Radeon Graphics (2 cores) Architecture Zen 5 Zen 5 Process TSMC 4nm, 6nm TSMC 4nm, 6nm TDP 65W 170 W
The issue is gaming. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X isn’t best suited to playing PC games, which is where the X3D series takes over, including the 9950X3D. I don’t just play games on my primary gaming rig, even though I refer to it as such. The 9950X is notably better than the 9700X at rendering video, handling intensive CPU-bound tasks, and other workloads where more cores can flex their muscles. It’s also great for multitasking while playing games.
One thing to note is you shouldn’t believe all the marketing when it comes to gaming. Even a Ryzen 5 series chip will get you some seriously high frame rates with the right GPU.
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My GPU is already the bottleneck for most games
Upgrading the CPU had little to no effect here
I love AMD’s RX 9070 series. These graphics cards are the most exciting GPUs to launch in years, though Intel’s Arc B series certainly made a splash at the end of 2024. For 4K gaming, however, you simply can’t beat the RX 9070 XT for value, especially when comparing against Nvidia hardware. They’re well-priced and offer some serious horsepower, thanks to a combination of architectural improvements and FSR 4.
That said, it’s not the most powerful GPU around. The Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 holds that mantle — actually, the RTX 6000 Pro does, but you won’t be buying one for Steam. The 9950X can provide plenty of bandwidth to the GPU, but I’m encountering bottlenecks with the RX 9070 XT. Now, this is a good thing since the GPU should always be the bottleneck for gaming, allowing you to adjust in-game settings accordingly, but it already was with the 9700X.
One thing of note is CPU-intensive games like X4: Foundations. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X made a huge difference.
Related
AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT is the most exciting GPU to launch in years
It’s here. It’s brilliant. Go and buy one.
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Even a capable 360mm AIO can struggle
There’s a lot of waste heat with PBO
AMD’s Ryzen 9 series can produce a lot of waste heat, even though the Zen 5 architecture is pretty efficient. Like Intel, AMD uses algorithms and other smart tech to automatically adjust the Ryzen 9 9950X on the fly to get the most out of the chip. One offset of this is increased power draw and heat, so much so that even a 360mm AIO can sometimes struggle to keep temperatures below 80 degrees Celsius. I often see the CPU surpass this number running X4: Foundations.
It’s always important to consider cooling and how you’ll keep your components from thermal throttling. While the 9950X is still far from reaching this, it’s always going to be slightly concerning to see your CPU run at such high temperatures.
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More (and faster) RAM, the better
DDR5-6000 is so 2024
Zen 5 processors work well with faster RAM. Upping things to DDR5-7200 was quite the upgrade and resulted in a notable system boost. Faster load times, slightly higher frame rates, and a general sense of increased responsiveness across the board. If you’re planning to save money on RAM, I would consider another chip since to get the most from a Zen 5 CPU, notably the Ryzen 9 range, you will require speedier memory. Thankfully, it’s a worthwhile upgrade.
It’s still the best upgrade for my PC
Moving up to the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X from any other AMD chip will provide considerable gains in the multi-core department, but it’s simply a fantastic processor. The AM5 platform has matured since launch, and all the memory and stability woes have long since passed. Although it’s not quite the best gaming CPU that AMD would like you to believe with its marketing (at least, prior to the X3D chips), the Ryzen 9 9950X is a monster when paired with the right cooler and tasked with everything it was designed to handle.