If you’re thinking about building a gaming PC – or upgrading your existing setup - you’re doing it at the right time. AMDs 9000 Series CPUs have just dropped. And they say they’re ‘the world’s most advanced and powerful option’ for PC gamers. It’s a big claim. But when you dig into the nitty gritty, the numbers and info are there to back it up.
So, before you decide to take the plunge, here’s all the key info you need on the new AMD Ryzen processors…
Overview
In all, you’ve got four different 9000 Series CPUs to pick from:
Whether you’re a big gamer or a content creator, AMD have designed a CPU here for pretty much everyone. And you can see down below what makes each of them tick. But before we dig into that, here’s a few features that the four of them share…
Task master
It’s not all about gaming though. The 9000 series is also a seriously hard worker and can easily handle loads of power-hungry apps at once. You’ll fly through any kind of task, whether you’re getting through a beefy spreadsheet in Excel, or putting the final touches on your video edit. And you’ll do it all with zero slowdown - letting you tick off your to-do list in record time.
Amazing AI
AI is everywhere right now, and AMD have always pushed it to the limits when it comes to building it into their tech. So, that’s where Ryzen AI comes in. It’ll unlock handy AI features on your PC that’ll help you do more than ever before. There’s set to be over 150 AI partner experiences in all. And AMD are working alongside some of the brightness minds in the biz to add to this and make the best AI apps around. It’s clever stuff.
Future support
While you won’t have to upgrade anytime soon if you bag one of these CPUs, it’s always worth keeping an eye on the future. AMD have thought about any improvements you might want to make further down the line. And with their handy Socket AM5 platform – which is ready for DDR5 memory and PCIe® 5.0 - they say you’ll be able to fit new processors and parts that haven’t even been announced yet. With years of support for the system guaranteed. How’s that for future proofing?
Specifications
Right, let’s see how the four CPUs stack up specs-wise…
| Specifications | AMD Ryzen™ 5 9600X | AMD Ryzen™ 7 9700X | AMD Ryzen™ 9 9900X | AMD Ryzen™ 9 9950X |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of CPU cores | 6 | 8 | 12 | 16 |
| Number of threads | 12 | 16 | 24 | 32 |
| Max. boost click | Up to 5.4 GHz | Up to 5.5 GHz | Up to 5.6 GHz | Up to 5.7 GHz |
| Base clock | 3.9 GHz | 3.8 GHz | 4.4 GHz | 4.3 GHz |
| Thermal solution (PIB) | Not included | Not included | Not included | Not included |
| Graphics core count | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Default TDP | 65W | 65W | 120W | 170W |
| Graphics model | AMD Radeon™ Graphics | AMD Radeon™ Graphics | AMD Radeon™ Graphics | AMD Radeon™ Graphics |
Ryzen 9 9950X
AMD are billing the Ryzen 9 9950X as the world’s best processor for creators and gamers. And they say it’s pretty much unlike any other mainstream desktop processor that’s come before – with a level of performance and shiny new tech that’ll blow you away.
What does that actually boil down to though? With a beefed up 5.7GHz frequency and 80MB of cache, your framerates are going to stay ultra-smooth during those lightning-fast matches! And that can be all the difference between bagging the win or propping up the bottom of the leaderboard.
Ryzen 9 9900X
The Ryzen 9 9900X is a beasty 12 core processor. When you compare it to the rest of the competition, that’s a lot, as most go for 8 big cores instead. This makes it perfect if you mainly play games but like to create a bit of content on the side too – giving you plenty of power for both.
And speaking of power, you don’t have to worry about your power supply. It only needs 120W to run, so it’s really efficient for the amount of sheer performance you’ll get out of it. We reckon if you pair it with an X670 motherboard or the like, you’ll have yourself a seriously punchy (and good value) setup on your hands.
Ryzen 7 9700X
8 cores are quickly becoming the go-to for mid-range gaming setups. And that’s exactly what the Ryzen 7 9700X brings to the table. This gives you enough power to game away while streaming to your fans at the same time. And if you need to run some other applications in the background as well, you can do that too.
It gets even better though. Because of the PCIe Gen5 support for speedy NVME SSDs and graphics card, you’re pretty much future proofing your rig. So, you’ll always be able to beef up your performance later if you ever find yourself lagging behind.
Ryzen 5 9600X
The Ryzen 5 9600X strikes the perfect balance between price and performance. And it’s still packed with the latest tech. So, if you’re building your PC on a budget – and want to make the jump to the AM5 platform without breaking the bank - it’s a great shout. You’ve still got 6 cores and 12 threads, running at only 65W. While the extra efficient Zen 5 architecture helps it to stay nice and cool. So, when the action starts to heat up, your PC won’t!
Just like the rest of the Ryzen 9000 Series processors, PCIe 5 is supported here. Making it perfect for hooking up the rest of your high-speed components like SSDs, GPUs, and network cards. Oh, and there’s even built-in Radeon graphics (RDNA2), which is handy for media and office use, or when you’re waiting to upgrade to another GPU.
Need something to play on your epic new gaming PC? We’ve got you. Head on over to our upcoming games page for all the latest details on the biggest releases. There are some incredible looking titles on the way!
