Conclusion
AMD has finally dropped the AMD Ryzen 9 CPU models for the new Ryzen 9000 series CPUs based on the Zen 5 architecture. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and AMD Ryzen 9 9900X will be available on August 15th, 2024, and in our review today we took a look at the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X.
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is the flagship, highest-end CPU model for client, desktop PC on the AM5 platform. There will likely be specific “X3D” 3D V-Cache SKUs to come for gaming-oriented buyers. However, for general computing the 16-core/32-thread Ryzen 9 9950X is it, AMD’s flagship Zen 5 processor for the desktop coming in with an MSRP of $649.
To date, we have reviewed the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X, and the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X CPUs, so make sure to check out those reviews. We have now also reviewed the Ryzen 9 9950X, as well as the Ryzen 9 9900X, completing the Zen 5 set for now up and down the price segments and core/thread count.
In our reviews, we focused on a varied workload of testing to show you what you can expect out of the CPUs in various and different workloads, which also includes gaming. This was not a 100% gaming-focused review, but rather a review that should give you an overall look at what to expect when using your CPU for regular desktop use, as well as gaming. We will have some gaming-oriented reviews to follow, so stay tuned.
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has an officially set MSRP of $649 from AMD, coming in 7% cheaper at launch MSRP than its predecessor, the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X which launched in September of 2022 at $699. The main problem for the Ryzen 9 9950X right now, however, is that the current pricing on the Ryzen 9 7950X has dropped a lot over those two years, and the street pricing is much lower on the Ryzen 9 7950X. The Ryzen 9 7950X can be purchased right now at $520 brand new online at the time of writing. This puts the Ryzen 9 9950X in a tough spot and becomes a real problem for its value.
At its heart, the Ryzen 9 9950X is a 16-core/32-thread high-end enthusiast CPU, similar to the Ryzen 9 7950X with a boost clock that remains the same, with the same cache configuration. While the TDP is the same between both CPUs at 170W, the PPT is actually different with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X having a 200W PPT and the previous Ryzen 9 7950X having a 230W PPT. The main difference is the architecture from Zen 4 to Zen 5.
Synthetics Performance Summary
Let’s start by summarizing our experiences with the new AMD Ryzen 9 9950X in comparison to the Ryzen 9 7950X and the competition’s Intel Core i9-14900K. In our system benchmarks, like PCMark 10 Express which stresses lighter workloads the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X provided an 8% uplift compared to the Ryzen 9 7950X and 9% faster than the Intel Core i9-14900K. This was also followed in PassMark which showed the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X ahead of the Ryzen 9 7950X, but to a lesser extent, just 5% here and 7% ahead of the 14900K.
Looking at specific multi-thread and single-thread testing, Geekbench showed the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 7% ahead of the 7950X in multi-thread workloads. 3DMark showed the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X with a much less uplift at 3% over the 7950X in multi-thread. Where the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X shone was in the single-thread testing, Geekbench had the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X 14% faster than the Ryzen 9 7950X and 3DMark had it 16% faster. In single-thread performance, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is able to outperform the 14900K as well.
AIDA64 showed us that the memory bandwidth remains the same from the previous generation. We saw integer performance uplifts on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X at 10% over the 7950X and 11% more than the 14900K. The biggest gains were in AES, where the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X blew the lid off of performance at 78% performance uplift from the 7950X.
In rendering, Cinebench showed the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X performing 9% faster than the 7950X in multi-thread and 12% faster in single-thread. However, in this one, the 14900K was faster in single-thread. We did see uplifts in Blender across the board in the range of 10% over the 7950X and upwards past 16% when compared to the 14900K, which was nice. V-Ray 6 was abnormally faster at a 20% uplift over the 7950X. Finally, in HandBrake the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X was slightly faster than the 7950X by a small 2%.
8 Game Average
In the graph above we have averaged the performance on each CPU across the 8 games we tested at 1080p. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has an average of a 3% game performance uplift compared to the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X across 8 games shown.
Game Performance Summary
We tested across 8 games on the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K to cover the entire range for comparison and the whole picture. Starting in Horizon Forbidden West the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X was for all intents and purposes performing at the exact same performance as the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X, with no real change, maybe a slight 0.4% regression, but this was a manual run-through. The Intel Core i9-14900K edged out the performance lead in this game, and the 7950X3D was the clear winner.
In Alan Wake 2 the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X ended up having a 4% performance uplift compared to the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X in this game. Otherwise, the 7950X3D was faster, as was the 14900K in the Extreme Profile. In Returnal the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X was only 1% faster than the 7950X, with no real advantage. In Avatar, the performance was similar. In Cyberpunk 2077 the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X performed exactly at the same performance level as the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X, with no change in performance. The 7950X3D and 14900K were significantly faster in this game.
In Dying Light 2 we did see a pretty good uplift over the previous generation. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X ended up being 15% faster than the 7950X, which was encouraging, but this game’s result was an outlier in our game selection. In Starfield, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X performed the same as the 7950X. Finally, in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X was just 2% faster than the 7950X.
Overall, the gaming performance advantage was rather insignificant on the whole between the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X. Keep in mind that this is a sampling of 8 games, it is not a huge roundup of games, so that is worth considering. We had one outlier with Dying Light 2, and then Alan Wake 2 was around 4%, those were the only two games in our lineup that really showed a significant difference.
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X did not provide any kind of upgrade as far as gaming performance is concerned. A larger sample size of games is desired to come to a final conclusion, we will have follow-up content along those lines for further testing.
Final Points
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a mixed bag of advantages, and depending on your use case and workload desires, will either be an upgrade for you or not. We found that the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X provides an uplift in performance in very specific scenarios.
The Ryzen 9 9950X has an excellent single-thread/single-core performance uplift compared to the previous generation Ryzen 9 7950X. It has a much less multi-thread/multi-core performance uplift compared to the previous generation. It is very fast in AVX-type workloads, if that is your bag, you will find Zen 5 shines. If you are a gamer, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X provides no advantage for gaming performance over the AMD Ryzen 9 7950X.
When it comes to pricing, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X’s own enemy is the Ryzen 9 7950X, which is currently priced at $520 online at the time of writing. Considering the excellent performance the Ryzen 9 7950X delivers, and the (on the whole) small performance uplifts the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X brings for everyday use, the Ryzen 9 7950X is the better value.
If you are on a Zen 4 CPU currently, the only reason to upgrade is if you want more cores, and the Ryzen 9 7950X is the go-to option with its current street pricing. If you are coming from an AM4 platform or previous Intel platform, the move straight to Zen 5 makes sense, but you will end up spending a bit more right now. Consider that over time, Zen 4 inventory will dry up as they move out of production, and Zen 5 prices will fall. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X will gain value over time, simply due to these facts.
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a competent CPU, that draws less power and runs cooler, than the Ryzen 9 7950X. It has clear improvements, in specific areas, and in gaming it’s no worse. In the course of time, its appeal will increase, for 2024, the Ryzen 9 7950X still remains a great value for performance in productivity and gaming.
