AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 with 192MB 3D V-Cache: early benchmarks

The first tests of AMD’s new flagship Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 with a record 3D V-Cache have surfaced online. Leaks point to a massive 192 MB of cache, positioning the chip as potentially the most cache-heavy mainstream desktop CPU to date.

Data from PassMark and Geekbench indicates the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is a 16-core, 32-thread processor based on Zen 5 with a TDP of up to 200 W. The base clock is listed at 4.3 GHz, with boost up to 5.6 GHz—slightly below the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. The headline change is a pair of full-fledged X3D dies, each with expanded cache, bringing the total to 192 MB.

In synthetic benchmarks, performance lands close to the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. In PassMark, the chip scores around 71,500 points, edging the current X3D version and clearly outpacing the standard Ryzen 9 9950X. Geekbench 6 likewise shows comparable single- and multi-core results, which tracks given the modestly lower clocks.

The real gain from the enlarged cache is expected not in general productivity apps, but in games and select tasks sensitive to memory latency. That’s where an additional 64 MB of 3D V-Cache on the second die could make a difference, particularly in scenarios where Ryzen X3D parts typically lead.

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 hasn’t appeared at retail yet, and these early benchmarks deserve caution. AMD is expected to officially unveil the refreshed Ryzen 9000X3D lineup at CES, which should shed light on when this processor will hit the market. Until then, the numbers read more like a promising teaser than a verdict.