Introduction
Last week at CES, AMD announced their Ryzen 7000X3D series CPUs that encompassed three CPUs, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the Ryzen 9 7900X3D and the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Many of us expected the 7800X3D to arrive as a successor to the 5800X3D, thus making the 12 and 16 core counterparts a nice surprise.
| Model | Cores/Threads | Boost / Base Frequency | Total Cache | TDP |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | 16C/32T | Up to 5.7 GHz / 4.2 GHz | 144MB | 120W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D | 12C/24T | Up to 5.6 GHz / 4.4 GHz | 140MB | 120W |
| AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | 8C/16T | Up to 5.0 GHz / TBD | 104MB | 120W |
As with most keynotes, AMD glossed over the specifications of the new chips, leaving us wondering what configuration the chiplets would hold and exactly how many 3D cache enabled cores would be provided on each. Luckily enough, we got to sit down for a half hour with AMD’s Scott Stankard, Director of Product Management for AMD Client and talk about the Ryzen 7000X3D Series to fill in some of the blanks left from the keynote.
7950X3D
| Model | Cores/Threads | Boost / Base Frequency | Total Cache | TDP |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D | 16C/32T | Up to 5.7 GHz / 4.2 GHz | 144MB | 120W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7950X | 16C/32T | Up to 5.7 GHz / 4.5 GHz | 81MB | 170W |
Starting off with the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, we have a 16 core, 32 thread chip that sports 144MB of total cache, a boost clock of up to 5.7GHz and a base clock of 4.2GHz (a 300MHz decrease from the 7950X). This is running at 120W TDP, which is a reduction from its 2D counterpart by 50 watts.
The 7950X3D utilizes a chiplet configuration sporting two CCDs (core complex dies) that contain 8 cores each. One of the CCDs contains 3D cache while the other CCD does not, leaving us with an 8 + 8X3D configuration.
In our conversation with Scott, we learned that AMD wanted to provide a blend of performance for the processor so a user could get all of the benefits of the standard Zen 5 platform, but also have the ability for top of class gaming performance.
This is to be accomplished through AMD directing specific games or applications to primarily use a particular CCD. For example, most games will default to using the X3D CCD as their default while lightly threaded business applications will use the non-X3D CCD as their default. Scott stated that this type of core direction has been in the works for a while on the Zen platform and he does not expect to be as complex as the Alder Lake launch that has the whole big/little configuration to worry about. Scott also stated that these optimizations should work equally well in Windows 10 and Windows 11.
From a trade off perspective, the boost clock on the X3D CCD will be lower than the boost clock on the standard CCD. Therefore, the 5.7GHz boost specification only applies to the standard CCD. From a heavy multithreaded workload performance perspective (i.e. Cinebench), the overall chip will be slower than the 7950X due to the lower TDP and the X3D CCD running at a lower clock. However, the difference in performance will not be as pronounced as it was when comparing the 5800X to the 5800X3D.
7900X3D
| Model | Cores/Threads | Boost / Base Frequency | Total Cache | TDP |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D | 12C/24T | Up to 5.6 GHz / 4.4 GHz | 140MB | 120W |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7900 | 12C/24T | Up to 5.6 GHz / 4.7 GHz | 76.75MB | 170W |
Moving on to the Ryzen 9 7900X3D, we have a 12 core, 24 thread chip that sports 140MB of total cache, a boost clock of up to 5.6GHz and a base clock of 4.4GHz (a 300MHz decrease from the 7900X). This is running at 120W TDP, which is a reduction from its 2D counterpart by 50 watts.
The 7900X3D utilizes a chiplet configuration sporting two CCDs (core complex dies) that contain 6 cores each. One of the CCDs contains 3D cache while the other CCD does not, leaving us with an 6 + 6X3D configuration.
Other than the differences in the core count and the configured frequencies, everything written about above in the 7950X section should apply to the various tradeoffs discussed.
7800X3D
| Model | Cores/Threads | Boost / Base Frequency | Total Cache | TDP |
| AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D | 8C/16T | Up to 5.0 GHz / TBD Base | 104MB | 120W |
| AMD Ryzen 7 7700X | 8C/16T | Up to 5.4 GHz / 4.5 GHz | 40.5MB | 105W |
Finally, we arrive at the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This chip is the most familiar to us, as quite frankly, it looks like a Zen 5 version of the 5800X3D. We have a 8 core, 16 thread chip that sports 104MB of total cache, a boost clock of up to 5.0GHz and a base clock that we’ll find out with we get ahold of the product to review. This is running at 120W TDP, which is a increase from its 2D counterpart by 50 watts (and by counterpart, I’m loosely saying the 7700X is its match because the 7800X didn’t show up to the game).
The 7800X3D utilizes a chiplet configuration sporting a single CCDs (core complex dies) that contains 8 cores. The lone CCD contains 3D cache for all of the cores leaving us with an 8X3D configuration.
From a performance perspective, we are expecting to see a comparable differential between the 7700X and the 7800X3D as we saw between the 5800X and the 5800X3D. It will likely lead on virtually all gaming performance, but fall behind on productivity and content creation as a result of the lower boost and base clocks.
Overclocking
Much like the 5800X3D, do not expect overclocking to be a thing with the Ryzen 7000X3D Series. When discussing this topic with Scott, he stated that we will gain access to using the Curve Optimizer, but the primary expected use case is to find ways to reduce power consumption and heat to run at the already configured speeds. Essentially, Curve Optimizer will allow you to reduce power by using some of the factory margin built into the chips.
Conclusion
The Ryzen 7000X3D Series of chips looks very interseting to us due to the design choices made on the 7900X3D and the 7900X3D to have a blend of capabilities by having one CCD with 3D Cache and the other without. A lot of bold performance claims were made about giving the X3D buyers a CPU that will bring the best of both worlds to them.
That being said, there’s a lot of risk in the implementation of thread assignment functionality which has been echoed by many folks out on the forums. Beyond what we learned in our meeting, we don’t have anything else to go on until we get the chips in hand and that’ll be about a month from now with an expected launch date of February 14, 2023 whenever they are launched they’ll let us know (see update from AMD at the link).
In the meantime, jump on into our forums at the link below and let us know your thoughts on AMD’s design choices with the Ryzen 7000X3D series of processors – will you be clicking add to cart next month?
Discussion (19 replies)
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Nice read interesting that AMD stated they will be handling thread assignments. Does this mean we will be getting regular driver updates for the CPU's with game releases like we do with the video cards?
Thanks. Drinking and writing apparently don't mix?
Shaken, not stirred?
The clock told me it was beer-thirty...
My clock always reads that. LOL
I am sadden by AMD's direction with the X3D parts though. I was holding out on getting a 7950X to see if they were going to make a 7950X3D part and get it instead, but it seems for what I mostly use my CPUs for the 7950X3D will be slower than the 7950X. Even with the added cache on half the CCDs I think the 7950X will still out perform the 7950X3D in 99% of the use cases I use the CPU for.
Waiting to see some reviews before I cast any judgement, but yeah, it sounds like what you say may end up being the case.
I raised that specific scenario with Scott and he confirmed that's what to expect. If your application performs better on frequency/less cache, then an all core load on the 7950X3D will be slower than the 7950X. The CCD mix that they've selected is a way of giving gamers the "best of both worlds" at what will hopefully be a reasonable trade off. We'll certainly compare the numbers to see the differential - the 120W power limit is a constraint even on the non-3D cores....
You already do with the chipset drivers, in that same way, it includes its Power Management API, which on past generation Ryzen's had things like "Ryzen Power Profiles" you can enable under Power Profiles in Windows. I imagine they might be similar, it is always best to use the Ryzen Power Profiles when available after installing the chipset drivers, this allows Windows to manage power and threads better based on different power loads. So always install those AMD chipset drivers, and always keep them up to date.
Wow, I apologize if I missed it in previous reviews but I didn't notice that. I did notice how you mentioned it in the 4090 OC review and was going to look into it. Definitely, at the top of my list to do in the next couple of days.
I'm waiting for these as well but absolutely waiting on official prices and reviews before making any decision. Since really only use my rig for web stuff and gaming I'm not overly worried about the comparison to the non X3D versions but not keeping them off the table as a possibility for the new build either.
Edit: I really can't emphasize how happy I've been with the 5800X3D and hope that the 7900X3D or 7950X3D surpass it significantly. Even last night when I was testing Brent's OC settings I liked seeing how it barely broke a sweat when SOTR was doing 185-300 FPS in 4K.
So, I may lose any cred I had here by admitting this, but here goes:
You have a very good point.
I don't know when the last update I saw on chipset drivers was. You don't really hear anything about them unless they patch some huge crippling bug or introduce some new feature, and I don't know if Windows updates them automatically as part of it's internal driver updates. Honestly, I don't even know off the top of my head how to tell what revision driver I'm running now.
You made me go look - apparently there was one released back in November for my B550. And yeah, I wasn't on the most recent revision. I have no idea what revision I was on...
I know I have installed these drivers before, but I do not have any AMD-specific power plans to chose from. We'll see what happens when I update to the latest.
Yea mine looks the same as yours. Looking for this magical AMD setting now.
Somehow I managed to never have installed AMD's chipset driver and the power plan's that come with it?? Installing now will reboot and report back here. More performance left on the table?
seems that the power plans are no longer there in the newest driver versions? Unless I missed a super secret squirrle way to enable them. Perhaps for laptops only? Or desktops only? (Running a USB connected UPS so my windows kinda runs like it's a laptop... WTF knows why.
The AMD Ryzen profiles are on Zen and Zen 2/+, Zen 3 doesn't have the options. However, the chipset drivers still install the latest power management version, which Windows will use, so install them. Research CPPC2, it had to do with that.
Here you go, this answer is helpful:
https://community.amd.com/t5/processors/missing-power-plans-on-amd-ryzen-5000-series/m-p/259920/highlight/true
But notice when you install the chipset drivers, it is installing power management features. So on Zen and Zen 2/+ that was needed, but with Zen 3 apparently, Windows handles it natively now, or at least with the latest updates. Also, most people probably don't know this, but it is better to use the new "Best Performance" setting in Windows power settings, RATHER than the power profiles option in control panel now, the whole method of optimizing the power profiles is now handled through that option, and so I make sure on all my test builds to use that option for setting power profiles, not the control panel option, I never touch the control panel power plans anymore, only that one in Windows Power settings and set it to "Best Performance" The exception is if its a Zen 1 or 2 CPU.
Now I assume this will be the case for the X3D parts as well, but, the question was asked would there be driver updates to help X3D threading issues, and the answer is, the delivery method is already in place via chipset driver updates if they had to do it, since something like that was done before for a different issue.