An early review of AMD’s new Ryzen 9 9900X CPU has emerged online, courtesy of Italian tech outlet SaddyTech, ahead of the official launch of the Ryzen 9000 Series. This review, featuring a retail version of the CPU acquired early, offers a glimpse into the performance of AMD’s latest Zen 5 processor. The 12-core CPU, boasting a 5.6 GHz Boost Clock and a 120W power rating, might not be the flagship option in the new Zen 5 lineup (that honor goes to the Ryzen 9 9950X), but it’s still a high-end desktop CPU aimed at enthusiasts. SaddyTech put the Ryzen 9 9900X through its paces in ten games, comparing its performance against the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D gaming processor. The test system used a GeForce RTX 4090 GPU to minimize potential bottlenecks, along with an X670 motherboard and DDR5-7200 memory. The results show that gaming performance between the two CPUs is closely matched, with the 7800X3D emerging as the winner, achieving up to double-digit gains in some titles. The games tested include Alan Wake 2, Total War Warhammer, City Skylines 2, Call of Duty: Warzone 2, CS: GO 2, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite, Hogwarts Legacy, Starfield, and The Last of Us: Part 1. At 1080p, the 7800X3D delivers a noteworthy 23% lead over the new Zen 5 9900X. This lead shrinks to around 15% in games like Cyberpunk 2077, The Last of Us: Part I, and Fortnite. Increasing the resolution to 1440p narrows the gap between the two CPUs, and the difference is even smaller at 4K. In 4K, the newer Ryzen 9 9900X emerges as the faster option in games like Starfield, performing roughly the same as or within a few percent of the 7800X3D. However, the SaddyTech review notes that the 9900X draws more power while gaming, sometimes double that of the 7800X3D, and runs warmer. The review concludes that if you’re building a new AMD gaming rig, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D remains the superior choice. Additionally, it’s recommended to wait for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which is expected to launch later this year. While the 9900X is undoubtedly faster in productivity tasks, the gaming performance results make it difficult to overlook the 7800X3D’s strong showing in this early review.
AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D: Early Review Shows 7800X3D Still Reigns Supreme for Gaming
