The battle for gaming supremacy between Intel and AMD has by no means been as intense as it’s now, however AMD has a brand new ace within the gap. AMD’s $449 Ryzen 7 5800X3D (opens in new tab) makes use of new cutting-edge 3D-stacked SRAM know-how, known as 3D V-Cache, to allow a complete of 96MB of L3 cache that unlocks super gaming efficiency, unseating Intel’s costly $738 Core i9-12900KS because the quickest of the Greatest CPUs for gaming — however at a extra forgiving worth level. AMD pulled this feat off with an eight-core 16-thread chip primarily based on the identical 7nm course of and Zen 3 structure as the unique Ryzen 5000 chips that debuted again in 2020, however makes use of an revolutionary hybrid bonding know-how to fuse an additional slice of cache atop the processing cores, a primary for desktop PCs.
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D represents the corporate’s final hurrah for its long-lived Socket AM4 platforms which have shepherded the Ryzen chips from their infancy with the Ryzen 7 1800X in 2017 to their once-dominating place on the prime of our CPU benchmark gaming hierarchy final yr with the Ryzen 9 5900X.
AMD’s chips held the lead in each metric till Intel launched its Alder Lake lineup final yr, with Intel’s Core i9-12900K touchdown because the quickest gaming CPU we would ever examined. Nonetheless, with AMD poised to launch the 5800X3D, Intel tried to cement itself atop the gaming efficiency charts with its new Particular Version Core i9-12900KS. That got here to market one week earlier than the 5800X3D with increase speeds reaching as much as a blistering 5.5 GHz, a report excessive for PCs, and for a bit over every week, it was the quickest desktop PC chip in all classes.
| Worth | Cores | Threads | Base/Enhance (GHz) | Complete L3 Cache | TDP | |
| Ryzen 7 5800X3D | $449 | 8 | 16 | 3.4 / 4.5 GHz | 96MB | 105W |
| Core i9-12900KS | $739 | 16 Cores / 24 threads | 3.4 / 5.5 (P-cores) — 2.5 / 4.0 (E-cores) | 30MB | 150W / 241W |
| Core i9-12900K / KF | $589 (Okay) – $564 (KF) | 16 Cores / 24 threads | 3.2 / 5.2 (P-cores) — 2.4 / 3.9 (E-cores) | 30MB | 125W / 241W |
Intel’s short-lived benefit in gaming got here at the price of additional energy, although: The Core i9-12900KS has a 150W processor base energy (PBP), a report for a mainstream desktop processor, and we measured as much as 300W of energy consumption below full load. In distinction, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D has a 105W TDP ranking and maxed out at 130W in our checks, displaying that it’s a far cooler processor that will not require as costly lodging, like a beefy cooler, motherboard, and energy provide, because the Core i9-12900KS.
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D’s 96MB of L3 cache is clear to the working system, which means it does not want particular lodging from the OS or software program, however it does not profit all video games. Nonetheless, we did see a giant uplift in almost each title we examined.
Here is a fast snapshot of the 5800X3D’s common efficiency in our gaming take a look at suite and key single- and multi-threaded purposes. You will discover way more intensive testing on the next pages, however this offers you a great normal sense of how the Ryzen 7 5800X3D stacks up.
As you’ll be able to see, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D takes the crown because the quickest gaming chip in our take a look at suite and lives as much as AMD’s declare that 3D V-Cache delivers a rise in gaming efficiency equal to what we might usually solely see from a brand new microarchitecture. Nonetheless, the 58000X3D is not as quick as comparable chips in different kinds of single- and multi-threaded work past gaming. That is as a result of the opposite fashions have a core depend and frequency benefit. In truth, resulting from decrease clock speeds than its most directly-comparable counterpart, the Ryzen 7 5800X, the 5800X3D is slower in some single-threaded purposes.
Nonetheless, whereas Intel’s 12900KS nonetheless delivers main efficiency in purposes, its hefty $739 premium is not nearly as good of a purchase as AMD’s $449 Ryzen 7 5800X3D when you’re solely concerned with gaming. The identical applies to the usual 12900K and 12700K, too, although the Core i7-12700K is a contender when you’re on the lookout for a extra balanced mix of gaming and utility efficiency across the $410 worth level.
After all, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a large win when you already personal a Ryzen system — this chip will drop into virtually any AM4 motherboard, saving some money when you have the best supporting elements. General, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is precisely what AMD says it’s — a chip optimized particularly for gaming that takes the general lead.
First, let’s take a fast have a look at the specs, then get proper to our full gaming and utility take a look at outcomes. You’ll want to search for the deep-dive particulars and testing on the 3D V-Cache, increase frequencies, and thermals later within the article (the latter is especially fascinating).
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Specs and Pricing
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the primary shopper processor to function 3D V-Cache, however the firm additionally makes use of the tech for its Milan-X processors for the information middle. 3D V-Cache leverages a novel new approach that makes use of hybrid bonding to fuse a further 64MB of 7nm SRAM cache vertically atop the Ryzen compute chiplet, thus tripling the quantity of L3 cache per Ryzen die.
| Avenue / MSRP | Cores | Threads | P-Core Base/Enhance | E-Core Base/Enhance | L3 Cache | TDP / PBP / MTP | DDR4-3200 | |
| Core i9-12900KS | $739 | 8P + 8E | 16 Cores / 24 threads | 3.4 / 5.5 GHz | 2.5 / 4.0 GHz | 30 MB | 150W / 241W | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 |
| Core i9-12900K / KF | $589 (Okay) – $564 (KF) | 8P + 8E | 16 Cores / 24 threads | 3.2 / 5.2 GHz | 2.4 / 3.9 GHz | 30MB | 125W / 241W | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 |
| Ryzen 9 5900X | $450 ($549) | 12P | 24 threads | 3.7 / 4.8 GHz | – | 32MB | 105W | DDR4-3200 |
| Ryzen 7 5800X3D | $449 | 8P | 16 threads | 3.4 / 4.5 GHz | – | 96MB | 105W | DDR4-3200 |
| Ryzen 7 5800X | $350 ($449) | 8P | 16 threads | 3.8 / 4.7 GHz | – | 32MB | 105W | DDR4-3200 |
| Core i7-12700K / KF | $409 (Okay) – $384 (KF) | 8P + 4E | 12 Cores / 20 threads | 3.6 / 5.0 GHz | 2.7 / 3.8 GHz | 25MB | 125W / 190W | DDR4-3200 / DDR5-4800 |
| Ryzen 7 5700X | $299 | 8P | 16 threads | 3.4 / 4.6 | – | 32MB | 65W | DDR4-3200 |
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D comes with the identical eight Zen 3 cores and 16 threads as the usual Ryzen 7 5800X however has a decrease 3.4 GHz base and 4.5 GHz increase frequency inside its 105W envelope. AMD trimmed 400 MHz from the bottom clock and 200 MHz off the increase frequency, however you get a further 64MB of L3 cache in alternate, for a complete of 96MB of L3.
Naturally, the 3D V-Cache tech has tradeoffs, with the obvious being the $449 price ticket — you’ll pay an additional $100 for a similar variety of cores as you’d get within the vanilla Ryzen 7 5800X.
The 5800X3D’s large attraction is AMD’s declare of a mean 15% achieve in gaming efficiency over AMD’s quickest gaming chip, the Ryzen 9 5900X which additionally presently retails for $450. The 3D V-Cache doesn’t improve efficiency in different kinds of work past gaming, so in comparison with the 5900X, you’ll sacrifice 4 cores and eight threads in alternate for the additional cache, thus dropping efficiency in some productiveness purposes. Meaning the Ryzen 9 5900X could be the higher choice for productivity-focused work, however you also needs to look to Alder Lake alternate options when you’re after a extra balanced efficiency profile.
The 5800X3D totally helps overclocking the reminiscence and Infinity Material, however you’ll be able to’t overclock the CPU cores or use the auto-overclocking Precision Enhance Overdrive function (extra element under). The corporate cites a voltage limitation, however our thermal testing under actually implies that warmth dissipation is an exacerbating difficulty. AMD says that is the primary iteration of the tech, and it’s potential that overclocking might be enabled on potential future 3D V-Cache processors. Nonetheless, the corporate hasn’t formally dedicated to releasing different fashions sooner or later. Given the efficiency we have seen, it would not be stunning to see this tech carry over into the Zen 4 period.
That will not cease enterprising fanatics from attempting, although. We have already seen reviews of restricted BCLK overclocking that may eke out a couple of hundred additional megahertz (maybe extra on motherboards with exterior clock mills), and there seems to be a workaround to change the motherboard’s voltage output to the CPU, thus feeding the chip extra voltage than AMD meant. After all, the latter may incur vital danger, however we’ll study extra within the coming weeks as fanatics put the silicon by the wringer.
As with all different 105W Ryzen 5000 chips, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D does not include a cooler. The chip has the identical thickness (Z-height) as all different Ryzen 5000 fashions, so it’s suitable with the broad ecosystem of ordinary coolers for the AM4 socket. The 5800X3D will drop into current 400- and 500-series motherboards (Socket AM4), and AMD’s upcoming BIOS updates may also allow help on older 300-series platforms. You will want a BIOS with AGESA 1.2.0.6b (or newer) for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
AMD says that Ryzen 5000 help will range by vendor, as will the timeline for brand spanking new BIOS revisions. Nonetheless, they need to all be accessible now. Notably, these BIOS revisions may also embody the repair for AMD’s fTPM stuttering points.
The 5800X3D additionally does not help the modern connectivity choices, like DDR5 and PCIe 5.0, that you’re going to discover with Alder Lake, however it does help as much as DDR4-3200 and PCIe 4.0. AMD will not be capable of match intel’s connectivity tech till its 5nm Ryzen 7000 ‘Raphael’ Zen 4 CPUs arrive later this yr.
Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at the general structure, energy, and thermals, together with thermal throttling testing, then transfer on to our gaming and utility benchmarks.