Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review: The Gaming CPU Everyone Else Is Chasing
9.5/10 — AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (2024)
Pros
- Top-tier gaming performance
- 96MB of L3 cache
- Close to the faster 9850X3D for less
Cons
- Eight cores limit heavy workloads
- Prices have sat above launch
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D launched on 7 November 2024 at $479 as an 8-core, 16-thread chip for the AM5 socket, with 96MB of L3 cache thanks to AMD’s 3D V-Cache, a 5.2GHz boost clock and a 120W TDP.
What works
Tom’s Hardware still names it its main gaming CPU recommendation, and it is only marginally behind the newer Ryzen 7 9850X3D at a lower price. The huge cache is what makes it so good in games.
Where it falters
It is not the chip for heavy multi-core work, where chips with more cores are better, and it has cost more than its launch price at times.
Verdict
The one to buy for a gaming PC.
