Processors like AMD's new Ryzen 7 9850X3D spark up conversations about binning and the broader concepts of silicon manufacturing that essentially make this a "super" 9800X3D, but most gamers don't care about the specifics. For most, they want to know why the "50" in its name means it costs $30-40 more.
But that's really what this is. It's the tuned-up version, or the "shiny" edition, if we borrow some gaming verbiage. Before we ever had a sneak peek into its specs, I knew this was never going to appeal to people who already bought a 9800X3D, but it's going to change the conversation for people who were considering one. Let's see where it lands in my testing.
How much does the Ryzen 7 9850X3D cost?
This review was made possible thanks to review samples provided by AMD. The companies had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
The 9850X3D now stands as the fourth chip of its kind in AMD's Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 Series, alongside the 9800X3D, 9900X3D, and 9950X3D.
Price: $499 at Newegg
Release: January 29, 2026
Cores: 8
Threads: 16
Base clock: 4.7GHz
Max boost: Up to 5.6GHz
L3 cache: 96MB
Base TDP: 120W
AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D specs are almost identical to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D APU (SoC), with the same core/thread count, L3 cache size, and 120W TDP.
It's launching at $499 MSRP, which is $20 higher than the 9800X3D started at, for a 400 MHz bump to its maximum clock speed.
However, the 9800X3D has dropped to $469 since its November 2024 launch, widening the gap with the 9850X3D's launch price to $30.
Surging component prices driven by AI demand might prevent the gap from widening further, as the 9800X3D has recently only seen increased value when retailers bundled it with compatible motherboards and RAM.
CPU |
Cores |
Threads |
L3 |
Base / cTDP |
MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ryzen 9 9950X3D |
16 |
32 |
144 MB |
170 W |
$699 |
Ryzen 9 9900X3D |
12 |
24 |
140 MB |
120W |
$599 |
Ryzen 7 9850X3D |
8 |
16 |
96 MB |
120W |
$499 |
Ryzen 7 9800X3D |
8 |
16 |
96 MB |
120W |
$479 |
How fast is the Ryzen 7 9850X3D?
Besides its impressive single-core performance, there weren't any other surprises from the Ryzen 7 9850X3D in my usual testing gauntlet, and it placed about 5% higher than the 9800X3D in synthetic productivity benchmarks. The creator-centric Ryzen 9 9900X still pulls ahead, currently selling for $382 at Newegg, proving the 9900X is a bargain for anyone who isn't explicitly interested in building a gaming rig first.
(There is) a nice 25-30% lead for the Ryzen 7 9850X3D over the last-gen gaming hero, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which still sells for $399.
My results show a nice 25-30% lead for the Ryzen 7 9850X3D over the last-gen gaming hero, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which still sells for $399 at Newegg when the 7800X3D is discounted. If you're already bored with that chip, you could sell it and upgrade to the 9850X3D if you really wanted to, but Ryzen 5000 Series enthusiast owners will see the best gaming upgrades by jumping "two" generations (never mind the 8000G).
Is the Ryzen 7 9850X3D good for gaming?
AMD still officially pits the Ryzen 7 9800X3D and 9850X3D against Intel's Core Ultra 9 285K, which is an absolute productivity monster with a price hovering around $579.98 at Newegg right now, but the 285K disappoints in gaming tests. To that end, it almost feels cruel to compare when Intel doesn't necessarily have a modern horse in the desktop gaming race, and the 13th/14th Gen Core i9 crashes soured its previous generations.
The Ryzen 7 9850X3D is great for gaming. In fact, it's basically trying to usurp its binned sibling's throne as the new best gaming CPU.
As for the 9800X3D vs. 9850X3D conversation, AMD's in-house tests show a 3% average uplift, with Baldur's Gate 3 and Counter-Strike 2 enjoying the best improvements while Battlefield 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 are barely noticeable. Given the productivity scores I collected a couple of days before the 9850X3D's release slightly exceeded AMD's reference scores, there's no reason for me to doubt its gaming charts, but future testing can clarify.
So yes, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D is great for gaming. In fact, it's basically trying to usurp its binned sibling's throne as the new best gaming CPU, but that position will be decided by ongoing pricing between it and the 9800X3D. These chip refreshes are always strange to explain to newcomers, and the 9850X3D especially so, since you're only really getting a 400MHz bump over the 9800X3D, but the price is right (for now).
Should you buy the Ryzen 7 9850X3D?
You should buy this if ...
✅ You're building a high-end gaming PC
✅ You're upgrading from an older AM4 build
You should not buy this if ...
❌ You already have a Ryzen 7 9800X3D
❌ You're still on a high-end 7000 Series CPU
AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D is almost a 9800X3D 2.0, a special edition of sorts that gives you slightly better performance at a modest price. I predict the gap will remain worth it for a while, but the later months of 2026 might see that change, especially if enterprise AI continues to gouge prices for the everyday PC gamer. For now, it's easy to recommend over the 9800X3D, because I doubt anyone building a system around this chip is worried about spending an extra $30.
However, I tentatively stand by my darling 9800X3D as my editor's choice, keeping all my fingers crossed for some genuine price drops as the 9850X3D slides in to try and take its place. More choices are great for us builders; it's just that these two are so close that it's hard to separate them. If you're upgrading from a Ryzen 7 5800X3D or an Intel Core i5-13/14600K, then go for the 9850X3D — just prepare for a shock when you need a new motherboard and RAM.
