AMD is seemingly working on two new Zen 5-based processors rocking higher caches and power limits. Joining the Ryzen 9000 lineup, these CPUs are set to offer great gaming and multitasking performance, but this time without the intricacies of 16-core solutions. At last, PC enthusiasts should get what they have longed for.
According to hardware leaker @g01d3nm4ng0 on X, AMD is planning to launch two Ryzen 9000X3D processors. The first is said to be an 8-core/16-thread 120W chip, packing 96MB of L3 cache. Based on these specs, this will likely be a Ryzen 7 model, joining the excellent Ryzen 7 9800X3D. If the brand’s previous releases are any indication, this could be a cheaper alternative akin to the Ryzen 7 5700X3D.
While a cheaper X3D CPU is nice and all, the one that piques our interest the most is the second leak. This bad boy is rumoured to pack 16-cores/32-threads sharing 200W and 192MB of L3 cache. As a reminder, the highest cache capacity currently available for consumers tops at 128MB on the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, combining one regular CCD packing 32MB of L3 cache with one 3D V-Cache CCD housing 32+64MB of cache. 192MB of total L3 cache means that both CCDs (Core Complex Dies) feature the 64MB 3D V-Cache layer, which would be unprecedented.
AMD has previously told Hardwareluxx that it doesn’t intend to release this kind of processor as it would be too expensive with little improvement over the 9950X3D. The brand indicated that there were no technical reasons or challenges stopping it from releasing such a product, simply that the price would be too high to be interesting for many users.
Assuming @g01d3nm4ng0 is correct, AMD may have improved manufacturing enough to reduce cost and make this model viable. What is sure is that many enthusiasts will be delighted by this news. Unlike the 9950X3D, which required proper scheduling to send gaming tasks to the 3D V-Cache CCD, this hypothetical Ryzen 9 9990X3D should provide the same performance using either CCD. Better yet, apps that can leverage more than eight cores could see a noticeable performance bump, making for a universal gaming plus work CPU. A true one CPU to rule them all. We’ll nickname this one the Sauron Edition.
Looking at AMD’s pricing structure, the Ryzen 9 9990X3D, or whatever it ends up being called, will likely target between $749 and $799. Though the leaker didn’t specify a launch window, we don’t see it coming after the release of Zen 6, so, later this year or early 2026 seems about right.
