Today marks a thrilling moment for AMD enthusiasts as the company officially unveiled details about its upcoming Ryzen 9000 series desktop CPUs. Leading the pack is the Ryzen 9950X, a powerhouse of a CPU boasting 16 cores and capable of boosting up to an impressive 5.7 GHz. While the specifications are promising, real-world tests are starting to confirm its prowess.
AnandTech forum member igor_kavinski recently shared extensive benchmarks using an engineering sample of the Ryzen 9 9950X. Testing across various scenarios and power limits, the CPU showcased its superiority over both older AMD and current Intel processors. Notably, at 160 watts of PPT (just shy of its 170-watt maximum), the 9950X outperformed the last-gen 7960X by 24.6% on the Blender Monster benchmark. Even when both were pushed to 230 watts, the gap narrowed to a still-impressive 18.8%.
Moving beyond internal comparisons, igor_kavinski pitted the Ryzen 9950X against Intel’s flagship 24-core Core i9-14900K, setting power limits to match at 253 watts. According to data compiled by VideoCardz, AMD’s offering surged ahead with a commanding lead of 35.6%, 35.4%, and 39.8% on benchmarks like Blender Monster, Junkshop, and Classroom, respectively. Notably, AMD’s configuration of 16 identical cores contrasts with Intel’s mix of 8 high-performance and 16 efficiency cores.
While these results are promising, it’s important to note that the engineering sample may differ from the final retail version, slated for release on July 31st. Despite not hitting its maximum clock speed, the 9950X maintained impressively low temperatures (60°C at 253 watts) using an AIO liquid cooling solution. With launch just around the corner, more comprehensive data on the Ryzen 9950X and its siblings will soon be available, though pricing remains undisclosed, with expectations of high initial demand.
