AMD has finally revealed that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 desktop chip will cost $899 when the cutting-edge processor launches on April 22.
AMD has dubbed the 9950X3D2 the “Dual Edition” because it adds even more L3 cache to the processor by placing SRAM on not just one, but both core chiplet dies.
The resulting processor can harness a larger pool of 192MB L3 cache for gaming and other workload-heavy programs, up from 128MB L3 cache in the regular Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which launched a year ago. The new product promises to offer PC builders a way to create both a powerful gaming rig and an elite workstation in a single unit using a 16-core chip compatible with AM5 motherboards.
(Credit: AMD)
Still, the price is a bit higher than we’d like to see. For perspective, the regular Ryzen 9 9950X3D was originally priced at $699, but is currently retailing for $675 on Amazon.
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As a result, customers will end up paying $200 more with little difference in performance. AMD’s own benchmarks show the Dual Edition offering a 5% to 10% performance increase over last year’s 9950X3D across 3D modeling, software compiling, and video rendering benchmarks.
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(Credit: AMD)
Surprisingly, AMD hasn’t published gaming benchmarks for the chip. Our hardware analyst, Michael Justin Allen Sexton, noted that AMD previously tried to lock a PC game to running on only one compute die due to a “performance penalty” when running it across two compute dies. So we’re wondering if AMD has found a way to address the problem, or if the Dual Edition comes with a compromise. We also noticed that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 features a boost clock speed of 5.6GHz, rather than 5.7GHz in the regular Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
Stay tuned for our review. In the meantime, AMD indicated to us that the $899 figure is a suggested retail price. So it’s possible vendors could sell it for even more on launch day.
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Michael Kan
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I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
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