Information has been leaked about AMD’s new and highly anticipated Ryzen 9000X3D processors that could next be devastatingly fast, and not just in games. The next generation of 3D V-Cache will, according to the leak, offer better thermal performance and higher clock speeds, improving performance in games and other tasks with processors like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
The main difference is how the 3D V-Cache – extra fast cache that is added to the processor and reduces the time it takes to cache system RAM, reducing latency and improving performance in games – has been built up. For the first time, the 3D V-Cache will be located under the eight-core CCD (core complex die) and this will have significant consequences.
AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D models will feature a new design with the 3D V-Cache under the CCD … [+]
Why is this important?
In the past, the cache was added directly on top of one of the eight core CCDs. The downside to this is that the cache sits on top of a hot running group of cores and as a result the cores were throttled in a number of areas.
First, the cache could act as an insulator and prevent the CCD from being cooled as effectively as a standard CPU. This meant that 3D V-Cache models ran at relatively high temperatures, and AMD has also disabled overclocking on them in the past. Secondly, to control temperatures, they usually had lower frequencies to control voltage and thermals and ensure they stayed below thermal limits.
This has meant that while the X3D models have seen additional performance in games that benefit from the added cache, outside of games they have tended to be much slower than non-3D V-Cache models. Furthermore, any frequency drop can also reduce performance in some games. It’s one of the strengths that Intel has had over AMD in the past, offering decent gaming performance, but also excellent content creation performance.
Since the cache is located underneath the CCD, according to regular hardware newsreader @9550pro on Twitter (via Videocardz), AMD has likely discovered that there is more room for higher voltages and frequencies without allowing 3D V-Cache between the CCD cores come and the heat spreader. In short, they will be easier to cool and more open to higher frequencies.
In the leaked information, AMD claims that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D will have a 200 MHz higher peak boost frequency, resulting in approximately 8% higher gaming performance and 15% higher multi-threaded performance. This could be devastating news for Intel, as it would make AMD’s Ryzen 9000X3D models much better all-rounders than in the past.
Why the Ryzen 7 9800X3D may not just be the best gaming processor
For example, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D performed quite poorly outside of games due to its lower clock speeds, and the Ryzen 7000X3D models still had a significant gap in that area compared to the standard models. The custom V-Cache design could make the Ryzen 9000X3D models like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D perform much better than their non-V-cache counterparts like Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 9 9950X outside of games, allowing they are perfect for gamers as well as those with mixed usage needs.
We already know that they will likely be much faster than Intel’s recent Core Ultra 200 CPUs like the Core Ultra 285K and Core Ultra 245K, but that difference could be even greater than expected thanks to the new cache design.
AMD has confirmed its Ryzen 9000X3D processor series, which features 3D V-Cache. … [+]
When will the Ryzen 7 9800X3D be available?
AMD has announced that the first of its Ryzen 9000 3D V-Cache models will arrive on November 7, with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D possibly being the first.
I’ll be reviewing the new processors, including the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, as they arrive, so follow me here on Forbes using the blue button below, Facebook or YouTube for the latest news and reviews.
