How do you Install Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU and Software?
As we mentioned on the previous page, you are going to have to get used to some new things with AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and subsequently AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D as well. It is going to be required that you update your system BIOS. It is going to be required that you install the latest AMD chipset driver for AMD 3D V-Cache technology. It is going to be required that you update the XBOX Game Bar (Windows Game Bar) software KGL version. It is going to be required that you have Windows Game Mode Enabled. Let’s go through the official AMD documentation below for setting up the software necessary to make Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Ryzen 9 7900X3D work.
A BIOS update will be required. On our ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR X670E HERO AMD provided BIOS ROG-CROSSHAIR-X670E-HERO-ASUS-9922.CAP to install. This will expose a new feature under AMD CBS > SMU Common Options > CPPC Dynamic Preferred Cores. The default option is AUTO, but you can set this to prefer Driver, Frequency, or Cache if you are having issues, everything should be on AUTO by default and should work the automatic way. This exists for users in case they are having issues with games.
Software Installation and Setup for Ryzen 9 7950X3D
You also need to make sure you are using at least Windows 10 version 1903 build 18362.30 or Windows 11 version 21H2 build 22000.613. Then you will need to install the AMD chipset driver which will install the new driver components AMD PPM Provisioning File Driver and AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer Driver. You should now find two new devices in your device manager under system devices. You will find the AMD PPM Provisioning File driver and AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer driver as actual system drivers under the device manager. If those two things are there, you are off to a good start. There is more, and we will show some screenshots below of the new processes and services that should also now be running in Windows. You also need to make sure Game Mode is turned on in Windows, it should be by default, but it has to be ON or this won’t work.
XBOX Game Bar KGL Update for Ryzen 9 7950X3D
The final step is one you are probably not familiar with, and that is updating the XBOX Game Bar in Windows to the latest KGL version. You are most likely going to update the who to what? Windows has a game bar or XBOX Game Bar. You can access it at any time by pressing Win+G. When you open it, under the settings dial and the feedback and diagnostic information you will find the KGL Version Loaded and KGL Service Version. If the numbers do not match, you need to update, you should update even if they do just to make sure. At the time of writing, the version was 2225. To update this app, you go into Windows Store, the app’s icon, and then hit “Get Updates.” Make sure to reboot. Then bring up XBOX Game Bar and check the versions of KGL. It is necessary to update XBOX Game Bar and do not disable it, in order for the 7950X3D and 7900X3D to work properly in games.
You are probably wondering why the XBOX Game Bar matters, and what the heck KGL is. The short answer is this, KGL is a game list that is built into XBOX Game Bar, when you update it the list of games in the list updates. AMD’s chipset driver uses game bar to tell it when it detects a game is running. This allows it to park the second CCD and keep the game bound to the CCD with cache. That means updating the XBOX Game Bar so that it updates the KGL game list is important so that the driver can keep up with knowing new games are being run. This behavior is required, and it is required to have the XBOX Game Bar turned on.
It does bring up the obvious question, what if a new game is released and not yet updated in the KGL game list? Will you just not receive game performance with 3D V-Cache? This is an obvious concern, and the right question to have. It does remind us of the old SLI/CrossFire profile days, and we have learned since then that the profile method of support is never preferred, cause when there isn’t a profile, the gamer suffers.
Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU Installation
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D comes in a very solid box and is secured inside.
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D looks exactly like any other Ryzen 7000 series CPU, except for the “X3D” attached to the name.
The AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D was installed into our AM5 platform motherboard perfectly.
AMD provided chipset driver software version 5.02.16.347. When you install it, you will note the new items above that will be installed: AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer Driver and AMD PPM Provisioning File Driver.
Now that we have the Ryzen 9 7950X3D and AMD chipset drivers installed, the above screenshots show all the places where we found new drivers, services, and processes running. Under the device manager, you can see the AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer and AMD PPM Provisioning File. Under task manager, you will see the AMD 3D V-Cache Performance Optimizer Service running in multiple instances. Under task manager, you will see amd3dvcacheSvc.exe and amd3dvcacheUser.exe running. Finally, under services, you will see amd3dvcacheSvc.
Here is a quick checklist to get AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Ryzen 9 7950X3D up and running:
- Install System BIOS Update
- Install AMD Chipset Driver for 3D V-Cache
- Update XBOX Game Bar version and KGL
- Ensure Windows Game Mode is Enabled
Pro Tip: Here is a game-related item that in our opinion helps, as we did this, and it might have made a difference, force any game to re-compile pre-computed shaders or shader optimization routines if you can.
With the XBOX Game Bar KGL version updated ours was 2225 at the time of writing.
Discussion (19 replies)
Join Discussion →Thank you Brent for the wonderful article. Kinda glad I stuck with my 7700X for my office machine. It's a very nice CPU for what I use it for. Going with the 7800X3D wouldn't be that much of a bump at all it would seem.
We don't know how the 7800X3D will be yet. Considering it only has 1 CCD to worry about, it could be much more efficient, with less latency, and just the bees knees ?♂️ My prediction will be it will be very power efficient. I do worry about the frequency difference, however, for productivity.
Seems like if you're already on a 5800X3D it's not much, if at all, an upgrade. At least for gaming at 1440 or 4K.
Thanks @Brent_Justice for the great review and now I can't wait until the one for the 7800X3D.
I forgot to bring this up in the review, so I'll add it here:
This CPU may potentially not be a good CPU for multi-tasking while gaming, for example, streamers or content creators recording gameplay and streaming at the same time. Since it parks cores while gaming, this could potentially reduce the multi-tasking ability while gaming. Streaming and recording performance could be affected. The entire point of a 16-core CPU could be compromised under such circumstances. My addendum to this is that I have not tested this scenario, and I have no proof that this is true. It is a theory and subject worth discussing.
Really looking at this cpu/motherboard/ram upgrade requirement to come from a previous gen... this gen just feels like a skip for me. My 5900x is trucking along just fine and not feeling like a bottleneck at 1440p at all.
The power usage is the most impressive part but other than that it is a bit of a meh. Why spend the cash to help AMD and MS beta test this scheduler stuff in win10/11? Much like with e-cores of 12th gen Intel last year.
Power usage is impressive, but are we really impressed? It's turning off cores, and running at lower frequencies, and is capped at a lower temp of 89c, and has a lowered TDP, should a lower power profile really surprise or impress under those circumstances? If it could maintain the same clock as 7950X, and keep all cores running at the same time, and still have less power, I'd be more impressed by that.
Minimum FPS always determines playability. In games that benefit from the added cache, the 5800X3D showed much of its benefit in min FPS. We can't draw a conclusion on Zen4 X3D without mins.
I wonder how much MS paid AMD to gimp their CPU by making it rely on XBox Game Bar. Inexcusable.
I think this will depend significantly on what 'streaming' means. The combination of layout tools, audio tools, endpoints, GPU hardware and GPU acceleration used, all would factor in.
For the 'pros', having only eight cores enabled while streaming is probably not going to be an issue. They'll have a workflow set up that leverages hardware processing before (audio equipment with DSPs for major processing steps, to limit VST use in OBS, for example), and after (using an external/secondary box for recording and streaming live). For these folks quality, ease of use (though not necessarily setup and troubleshooting), and reliability are paramount.
If there's a limitation to be found, I expect it to be found first by those trying to do all of this on the same box, 'in the box'. I'd balance that with the knowledge that a 7600X is plenty fast for 'gaming', so a 7950X3D with one CCD disabled or the future 7800X3D will both probably have enough grunt to spare, especially if GPU encoding is leveraged properly.
Since AMD is able to keep performance up while reducing power usage - well, that's impressive. They did so while adding cache and increasing complexity.
Granted there's a pretty clear line drawn from decreased clockspeeds and voltages to lower power usage, and it looks like the 3D V-cache CCD is being binned for lower leakage, which should result in better efficiency at lower clockspeeds. So not inexplicable, but going in the right direction.
No need for conspiracy theories - AMD has been open about working with Microsoft to implement appropriate scheduling behavior for games on their dual-CCD parts that have one 3D V-cache-bearing die. From the benchmarks we've seen, while not perfect at launch (what is?), the solution is certainly working as intended, when it's working as intended.
Also note that AMD needs a software-based solution, since their scheduler isn't implemented in hardware (like Intel's P+E core solution), and that Intel still needed to work with OS developers to ensure that the P+E core arrangement was also supported.
For a personal example, while trying to run the FSPR Handbrake benchmark, I found that my 12700K running on Windows 10 last year would not properly schedule the Handbrake encode. This resulted in performance over an order of magnitude slower than expected, and I begrudgingly upgraded to Windows 11. I believe that this functionality has been backported to Windows 10 since, but as I've made 11 work for my needs, I haven't gone back and tested it.
As for 'why the Xbox Game Bar', well, I guess we should ask, how else should they have done it? How should it be exposed to gamers?
The AMD Chipset driver is required - that seems to be a good place for it.
I go to AMD Adrenalin software for my AMD video card settings. AMD has Precision Boost Overdrive for CPUs. None of that requires any XBox bullshit from Windows.
I'm still keeping an eye on this one but I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I was before. Here's hoping some updates, wherever they need to be, help it reach more of its potential. Since most of my builds end up running close to 10 years a pop I was hoping this, or the 7900X3D would be the platform to build my next with. The 7800X3D is sounding promising but I just don't know. Meanwhile, prices to do something with a 13900K keep dropping.
There's not an urgent benefit for you to upgrade from your 5800X3D. At least according to current benches. A couple titles it's better, but for the most part at 1440 and 4k there isn't much of a difference.
Unless productivity apps are more important to you. In which case, yeah, a huge improvement.
It's all good. I was thinking of a completely new build to replace the 4930K rig with but the intent is that whatever comes next is built to perform as needed for the next 7-10 years.
Here's the house layout:
1. 5800X3D is the main rig in the living room.
2. 3700X is in the bedroom
3. 4930K is in the cave.
Basically whatever comes next will push 5800X3D to the cave and it'll go in the living room as the new main rig. GPU-wise, the jury is totally out until we hear more about what's next.
@Brent_Justice Thanks for the great review. I noticed on page 2 that your screenshot of the Xbox Game Bar overlay menu is from a camera. Yeah, I ran into the same issue as well. You can't take screenshots of the Game Bar. Pretty annoying. Gotta grab your phone or another camera and literally take a picture of your display's screen.
I agree 100%. I'm kinda disappointed only one CCD gets the 3D cache. The CPU I would most likely get for myself would be the 7900X3D, but that has the same issue as the 7950X3D, with the 3D cache only being on one CCD. I don't like asymmetrical designs. Intel can f*ck off with their big.LITTLE P-core/E-core bullsh1t. Like I think most enthusiasts, I'm excited to see how the 7800X3D turns out. Although Brent brought up a good point in his review, the 3D cache has far less impact compared to the regular 7950X than the 5800X3D did compared to the 5800X. We still need to see how the 7900X3D and 7800X3D turn out, but I think overall the 3D cache matters a lot less for Zen 4 than it did for Zen 3. I don't think the price jump over the non-3D CPUs is worth it, at least for the 7950X3D.
I usually keep Xbox Game Bar disabled, but I guess if I had one of these Zen 4 X3D CPUs I would have to re-enable it.
AMD software to make sure the OS and applications are using the right CCDs appropriately reminds me of AMD's Dual Core Optimizer software back when they came out with their first dual-core CPUs. I had to use that software on my Opteron 165 system. I remember back then also having to disable one of the cores for some games, cuz games at the time would get confused when they saw two cores (or two physical CPUs), which would result in worse performance, crashes, or odd behavior.
TechPowerUp said in their review: "It seems that the game detection failed in some titles like Spider-Man and God of War, which post higher numbers when we override the AMD software and use the 'prefer cache' BIOS setting. If you encounter such a case, it's really easy to fix though. Press Win+G to open Microsoft Game Bar overlay, click on settings and tick the 'remember this is a game' checkbox. Done! No fiddling with executable names or the registry. Still, I suspect that a vast majority of people will not be aware of this solution, or even the fact that the game detection might not work on all games, that's why AMD must ensure they track down these cases and fix them quickly."
So I assume you can do the same thing with a new game that is not in the KGL game list, and just add it yourself.
I heard rumors that Zen 5 is gonna be quite the difference in CPU architecture, while Zen 4 was still basically just an upgrade of the Zen 3 and 2 design. Maybe you should wait to check out the Zen 5s, if you want to build a system to last 10 years. I hope all Zen 5 CPU models get 3D cache, and on all CCDs. My current system is the first one that I kept using for almost a decade (gonna be 9 years old this coming Fall), usually I move to a new system after about 4 years. I didn't plan things that way though, it just kinda happened cuz I'm broke! LAWLZ