AMD Ryzen 9 3950X Review. 3950x where to buy

Compared to Intel’s advanced processors, the 3950X is much better in terms of multi-threaded performance. On average, the 3950X’s performance is 40% higher than the 9900KS and 9900K.

Building an AMD Ryzen 9 3950X System

I recently decided to build a new workstation for everyday use based on the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X processor. This system will replace my current AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X system. In this post, I will tell you about the thought process behind building the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X.

I usually build a new “master” workstation system for myself every two years. Sometimes I update components for an existing current system between completely new systems.

Going back to history, these were the base specs for my main workstation systems:

  • 2012: Intel Core i7-3770K on Z77 motherboard with 32 GB of RAM
  • 2015: Intel Core i7-6700K on Z170 motherboard with 64GB RAM
  • 2017: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X on X399 motherboard with 96 GB RAM
  • 2018: Upgraded the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X to the Ryzen Threadripper 2950X
  • 2020: AMD Ryzen 9 3950X on X570 motherboard with 64GB RAM

When I build a new workstation system and start using it, the old system drops down in the basement lab. I will also have a dedicated gaming system present, which will be replaced with a new system approximately every two years. Old game systems are also sent to the laboratory in the basement. Sometimes I sell different old systems to my friends or give them to my family.

Required Components

A modern desktop computer must have eight basic components. They include:

  • Processor (processor)
  • Motherboard
  • CPU cooler
  • Memory (DRAM)
  • Graphics Card
  • Thing
  • Charger
  • Storage

Depending on the type of system being built and the components selected, some of these components may be related to each other. For example, many desktop CPUs come with an included CPU cooler, which may work well enough for your needs. Some desktop processors include integrated graphics (which may be all you need for certain types of usage).

Your budget and the type of workload you plan to run will have a big impact on what components you choose. Other factors, such as how much you care about system noise, whether you care about things like RGB lighting, and whether you care about the physical size of your system, will also influence your choices.

When I build a new workstation system and start using it, the old system drops down in the basement lab. I will also have a dedicated gaming system present, which will be replaced with a new system approximately every two years. Old game systems are also sent to the laboratory in the basement. Sometimes I sell different old systems to my friends or give them to my family.

Improving on Near-Perfection

When we reviewed the Ryzen 9 3900X in July, with the launch of the then new AMD Zen 2 processors, we tried to find a lot of bugs in what was essentially one of the most cost-effective gaming and content processors we’ve seen so far. While this processor slightly outperformed the Intel Core competition in single-core tasks and scored slightly below excellent in 1080p gaming tests, apart from these marginal complaints it represented the Ryzen 9 3900X (and the entire Ryzen 3000 line) a return to prime for a company that over the last ten she lived in the shadow of Intel for years.

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Similar Products

AMD Ryzen 9 3900X

Intel Core i9-9900KS

Intel Core i9-9980XE Extreme Edition

Intel Core i9-9900K

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X

Intel Core i7-7820X

Intel Core i7-7740X

The Ryzen 9 3950X is more of what we loved, with a little extra serving on top. Where the Ryzen 9 3900X “only” has 12 cores and supports up to 24 simultaneous processing threads, the Ryzen 9 3950X kills up to 16 cores and 32 possible threads. Another difference: while the Ryzen 9 3900X has a base clock of 3.8 GHz and a boost clock of 4.6 GHz (as the maximum for a single core), the Ryzen 9 3950X lowers the base clock to 3.5 GHz, but the boost clock is ticking slightly up, up to 4.7 GHz.

Finally, while the Ryzen 9 3900X has a total L2 / L3 cache allocation of 70MB, the Ryzen 9 3950X has 72MB L2 / L3 cache (8MB L2 and 64MB L3). In addition, both processors have the same TDP: 105 watts each, which is the same as the weird duck of the Ryzen 3000 series, the Ryzen 7 3800X.

The Blue Elephant in the Room

The Ryzen 9 3950X is an interesting layout as it overlaps the number of cores and threads with the meat and potato model in the second generation Ryzen Threadripper line, Threadripper 2950X. The new core is counting on third-generation Threadrippers due later this month to reflect this. But even more interesting is how Intel’s desktop processor lineup compares.

Since there is no Intel Ryzen 9 3950X counterpart that can compare exactly the number of cores and threads, the closest analogy we can make to the Intel processors we’ve tested is Intel’s 18-core Core i9-9980XE Extreme Edition.

Also included are the specifications of the 12-core Intel Core i9-9920X processor, which is the most suitable chip in the Ryzen 9 3950X with a different size in terms of number of cores.

As seen above, the Intel Core i9-9980XE doesn’t compete directly: it has two more cores and four more threads, and at the time of writing this article costs around 400-250 more than the Ryzen 9 3950X. But as you’ll see shortly in the benchmarking section below, that doesn’t stop the Ryzen 9 3950X from completely beating the CPU, which is 166% more expensive than it. (Rumor has it that Intel could significantly lower the price of this generation of “Skylake-X” chips, and the chip giant has confirmed that it will be bringing its 10th-generation X Core X series processors to the market at significantly discounted prices.)

That said, the upcoming 18-core Intel Core i9-10980XE processor, replacing the Core i9-9980XE, will still be worth considering, especially as the expected processor price will be “only” $ 250 higher than the Ryzen 9 3950X while featuring two additional cores and four additional threads. Rumor has it that the NDA for this processor is due on November 25, so we can’t share any comparative data yet, but let’s know that for these two tech titans it will be a very interesting couple of months over the next few product cycles in the high-end desktop market. (HEDT.

How has Intel Core i9-9980XE coped with the best non-Threadripper Ryzens so far? To find out, let’s move on to our tests.

Also included are the specifications of the 12-core Intel Core i9-9920X processor, which is the most suitable chip in the Ryzen 9 3950X with a different size in terms of number of cores.

Performance

The Ryzen 3900X was the flagship chip of the third generation Ryzen (that is, before the 3900XT). The 3950X overcomes both. These are both extremely efficient, high-end processors. These are possibly HEDT chips, despite their focus on the more popular sector and their specifications reflect this. Each was also found faster than Intel’s most powerful HEDT processors.

Processor Cores Threads L3 cache Base clock Boost clock (single core) TDP
AMD Ryzen 3900X 12 24 64 MB 3.8 GHz 4.6 GHz 105w
AMD Ryzen 3950X 16 32 64 MB 3.5 GHz 4.7 GHz 105w

The biggest differences between the two processors are the number of cores and threads. With an additional four cores and eight threads, the Ryzen 3950X is a more powerful multi-thread processor. However, finding jobs that can use so many cores and threads is another matter. Unless you do heavy video editing or video transcoding, it is unlikely that you will really benefit from these extra threads. They would definitely be hanging around in games.

Indeed, the 3900X is arguably an overkill for gaming only, but if you’re gaming and streaming at the same time, both are excellent. Surprisingly, considering the additional cores, the 3950X is also slightly faster than the 3900X in games, but only slightly.

Benchmarks put 3950X a few frames ahead of 3900X at 1080p. However, as the resolution increases, the gap becomes smaller. At 1440p and above, you won’t notice the difference in games between 3950X and 3900X. Your GPU becomes a bottleneck at higher resolutions, so you’re effectively wasting money with the 3950X if you focus mostly on gaming.

The differences relate to CPU-intensive tasks such as video transcoding and 3D modeling. In Blender, the 3950X surpasses the 3900X by almost 30%. However, the 3950X does not work for all applications. There is little difference between it and the 3900X in Adobe Premiere Pro, and their multi-thread compression performance is identical.

3900X offers far more bang for your buck, but …

If we look at these two chips only in the microcosm of this head-to-head encounter, we can make two final statements. The 3950X is the better of the two chips, but the 3900X represents much greater value for money. When it comes to the dollar-value-to-performance ratio, the comparison isn’t too big. The 3950X gives you a few extra frames per second when gaming and cuts the time it takes to complete certain productivity tasks by 10% to 30%, depending on how multi-threaded your application is.

If you’re a purely gamer, chances are you haven’t heard of any of these chips. The 3700X and 3800X models are remarkably similar to both new options, but they don’t compare to the 3900X and 3950X price point. For the best value for money, you can’t go wrong with the 3900x, which is comparable to other options while still being affordable. However, we did find one major drawback: if your software uses up to 24 threads, it’s very likely it will do the same with 32 threads.

While this is not a guarantee, the chances are high. Finding the right multi-threaded chip will cut your computer’s rendering time down by a few seconds, so the investment of 3950x is worth it.

However, if you have a little extra money to play with, we recommend you go wild on the Theadripper 3000 CPU. This chip transfers multi-threaded power to a completely different playing field with 128 threads and 64 cores.

When it comes to the sheer power of these high-end chips, the real question is whether the extra cores can be used and whether the saving of those few seconds (and maybe minutes under heavy load) will be worth twice as much. The 3950X isn’t twice as powerful, showing the effects of diminishing returns.

AMD Ryzen 3950X Launch: Europe

  • Switzerland – Digitec.ch | Steg.ch/de
  • France – Amazon |
  • Spain – Amazon |
  • Italy – Amazon |
  • Germany – Amazon | Mindfactory
  • Denmark – Elgiganten
  • Sweden – Elgiganten
  • Turkish seller – QP.com.tr
  • Salesman in Mumbai – Prime ABGB
  • Retailer in Pakistan – Eitimad
  • Salesman in Bangladesh – Skyland
  • Vietnam – TinhocDaiViet

Motherboards for AMD Ryzen 9 3950X

If you’ve been lucky enough to get your hands on one of the impressive AMD Ryzen 9 3950X processors, you’ll likely need an equally powerful motherboard. For this reason, we have created a few pages that will make your life much easier when deciding which motherboard to choose.

If someone wants to ask other countries to research and add seller links, let us know in the comments section below.

Brand: ASUS | Chipset: AMD X570 | Socket: AM4 | Form factor: Mini ITX | Memory: 64 GB DDR4 | Memory speed: 5100 MHz |

Ryzen 9 3950X Apps Performance

One thing should be made clear that the purchase of the Ryzen 9 3950X of this expensive CPU for purely gaming purposes is a waste of money. You can buy a decent Ryzen 6 3600 at a very lower price and get similar performance. While it handles games significantly efficiently, it actually works best with the higher performance loads of threads and cores.

In terms of multithreading, it is 30 percent faster than the previous version and this is probably due to AES performance. The processor can withstand heavy loads during cryptography, video encoding, 3D rendering and other similar tasks.

Compared to Intel’s advanced processors, the 3950X is much better in terms of multi-threaded performance. On average, the 3950X’s performance is 40% higher than the 9900KS and 9900K.

The processor is also the leading processor in the PCMark test. At the moment, Intel is lagging behind in the CPU race with AMD. But its Core i9-10980XE Extreme Edition processor turns out to be a much better option albeit at a higher price and consuming more power than the 3950X. The reason is that while the Skylake-X architecture is impressive in terms of performance, it is somewhat costly and energy inefficient.

amd ryzen 9 3950x interior design

A Powerhouse of Threads and Cores

Instead of old and inexpensive processors, AMD is now competing in terms of both price and performance. As performance rises, prices also rise simultaneously, although Intel has cut prices significantly to gain a competitive edge over its rivals.

Apparently gaming is not the primary focus of the Ryzen 9 3950X processor. It is without a doubt one of the most expensive high-end processors on the market. If you are considering it for gaming purposes, never make this mistake. Just get the best graphics card and gaming processor under $ 400 to fit your budget. This would produce more astounding results, rather than using it for gaming purposes.

However, if you’re a video streamer as well as a high-end gamer who wants to do both tasks on the same computer, it’s worth considering as long as you have a lot of money in your pocket. Alternatively, you can use NVENC GPU assisted encoding on the same processor, which will provide much better encoding for the processor even at a much lower price than this processor.

AMD should be considered as the creation of innovative, interesting and performance-oriented processors. For several years, after moving away from FX processors, the company has made a huge leap forward in the production of efficient and excellent processors with excellent performance, while its competitor “Intel” did not want to offer no more than 4-core desktop processors. Now it’s the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X which has 16 cores and even 32 cores in the Threadripper series.

If you’re interested in purchasing an AMD Ryzen 3950X, bookmark this page as we’ll be updating our reseller list as we get closer to the release date.

Shopping Tips for Ryzen 9 3950X Motherboard

GPU Support: Whether you want to use GPU on your PC or not, the best motherboard for the Ryzen 9 3950X should support the latest GPU. Because you may always need to connect a graphics card to your computer. While sometimes the CPU doesn’t come with integrated graphics, you’ll need to purchase a separate graphics card and connect it to the MOBO. This allows you to see the display on the monitor in fascinating, high-quality colors.

SATA Ports: SATA ports or slots are types of memory slots that allow you to connect various drives, such as SSD or HDD, to your MOBO. If you don’t have Nvme support, a suitable motherboard will ensure that it is SATA 6 gigabyte SATA 3.0.

RAID: Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is a collection of programs that organize different hard drives into “arrays”. This is the case with the speed of access to data from hard drives. Several motherboards do not have this feature, so make sure your MOBO has a RAID controller.

PCI slots: These slots are used to make connections between the motherboard and expansion cards. You can connect multiple expansion cards if you have multiple PCI slots / ports. However, the player must have at least one full speed PCIe × 16 slot.

Installation: Some motherboards are difficult to install. However, the motherboard now comes with an integrated I / O shield. This integrated panel saves your time and simplifies the installation process. If you decide to use a hob that does not have a panel mounted, make sure the manual contains enough detail.

The Best Motherboards for Ryzen 9 3950X You Can Buy Today

Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming

Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming

The best gaming motherboard for the Ryzen 9 3950X

SPECIFICATION

Brand: ASUS | Chipset: AMD X570 | Socket: AM4 | Form factor: ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory speed: 2133 MHz

REASONS TO BUY

✓ Good construction experience

✓ Supports Wi-Fi 802.11ax

REASONS TO AVOID

✗Does not include the Q connector

When gamers don’t know what to buy, ASUS is always there to help. This brand is one of the best choices of gamers. This is due to its efficient performance and powerful processors. The Asus ROG Strix X570-E ATX is the first on our list of Ryzen 9 3900X compatible motherboards, its processor versatility makes it stand out from the crowd. The motherboard is compatible with 2nd and 3rd generation Ryzen processors thanks to the AM4 socket. Gives you blazing speed, up to two M.2 drives, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and AMD Store. The maximum communication speed makes the player gaga with every use. You get HDMI 2.0, Display Port 1.2, and dual M.2 connectors, discovering more connectivity options. It’s not everything. USB ports, including two USB 3.2 connectors (Type A and Type C), add to connectivity and set the bar even higher for the competition.

By the end, you’ll announce that it’s the ultimate gaming motherboard for the Ryzen 9 3950x with specs I’ll share with you. Let’s talk about the broad networking possibilities. ASUS ROG Strix supports 2.5 Gbps LAN. ASUS LANGuard supports Intel Gigabit Ethernet. It also has Wi-Fi 6 that supports MU-MIMO, and the Gateway band is supported by GameFirst V. Thanks to the ASUS motherboard, you won’t run into any power problems thanks to the optimized power function. This is one of the amazing features of this motherboard. So you get 12 + 4 power levels, which also with the ProCool II as the power connector.

If you get this motherboard, forget about the heat it generates. Yes, do it as this motherboard is professional at dealing with heat effortlessly. Thanks to the active chipset heatsink, you don’t have to worry too much. The heat-fighting mechanism becomes more essential with the 8mm MOS heatsink heatpipe and the water pump with joint. If you still have doubts about heat handling, let me tell you that we have dual M.2 heatsinks on board. Happy now? Heat dissipation is a very essential part of any working unit. I feel that some brands are ignoring this fact, and despite having some unique features, it boils down to active heat dissipation. The Asus ROG Strix X570-E Gaming has all the features you need, making it the best motherboard for the ryzen 9 3950x.

Asus Prime X570-P Ryzen 3

Asus Prime X570-P Ryzen 3

The best affordable motherboard for the Ryzen 9 3950X

SPECIFICATION

Brand: ASUS | Chipset: AMD X570 | Socket: AM4 | Form factor: ATX | Memory: 128 GB DDR4 | Memory speed: 2133 MHz

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X: great for Premiere Pro, solid choice for DaVinci Resolve 2

Again, the CPU doesn’t make up the entire machine, so it’s worth reading not only articles posted by Puget Systems, but comments on other aspects of building video and photo editing workstations as well. It’s always interesting to read as it points to the different experiences of users in the real world. Puget Systems also warns users that the test results are for Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve only and should not be used to define how the AMD processor works with other software packages. In fact, the company already has articles on other software including After Effects, Photoshop, and Lightroom Classic.

We present our test conclusions here, but suggest readers to consult the original articles to get a complete benchmarking picture for each software package. According to Puget Systems, “The AMD Ryzen 9 3950X is currently the fastest processor available for After Effects. However, overall it’s only a few percent faster than the Intel Core i9 9900K, which can make it difficult to justify as the cost is much higher. But if one of your goals is to reduce render times, it’s a solid 10% faster than the Core i9 9900K or the Ryzen 9 3900X.”

AMD Ryzen 9 3950X: great for Premiere Pro, solid choice for DaVinci Resolve 3

Photoshop users should know that “Overall, the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X is the fastest processor we’ve tested so far in Photoshop, but it’s worth remembering that the Intel Core i9 9900K is a bit cheaper while only about 2% off slower. Even if you wanted to stick with AMD, the Ryzen 9 3900X is roughly the same price as the 9900K and is only about 7% slower than the 3950X. ” Thanks to Lightroom Classic, the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X offers an additional 5% performance over the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, which is a 50% increase in cost, which can be difficult to justify for most users.

The numbers show that the 3950X further strengthens AMD’s advantage over Intel, but while the battle may be won, the war is not over. Both Intel and AMD are releasing new processors in the coming months, so the price-performance ratio may change. Things may change with the upcoming 18-core Intel Core i9-10980XE processor, but what can we expect from the 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3970X and 24-core 3960X processors? After all, as I wrote before, consumers always win.

As for Puget Systems, they will have new benchmarks to share with users in the near future so that everyone can test their own computers. The company also announced that it has already qualified the AMD Ryzen 9 3950X “for use in our product line.” The supply of brand new hardware is often limited at launch, but we intend to fully offer this processor on our workstations as soon as possible. ” So if you want to build your next workstation on this new AMD processor, visit the Puget Systems website.

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