• AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

  Cores

  16

  Threads

  32

  Architecture

  Zen 5

  Process

  TSMC 4nm, 6nm

  Socket

  AM5

  Base Clock Speed

  4.3 GHz

  With the same cores and threads as its predecessor, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a powerful processor built on the new Zen 5 architecture. It's cheaper, doesn't run as hot, and sucks less power from the motherboard, resulting in an efficient flagship CPU.

• AMD Ryzen 7 9700X

  Cores

  8

  Threads

  16

  Architecture

  Zen 5

  Process

  TSMC 4nm, 6nm

  Socket

  AM5

  Base Clock Speed

  3.8 GHz

  AMD's all-new Ryzen 7 9700X not only undercuts its predecessor, but it's more powerful and sips less electricity. 8 cores and 16 threads will ensure all your favorite games run as intended by the developers, and a 5.5 GHz boost speed will make easy work of heavier loads.

The AMD Ryzen 9000 series has finally arrived and Zen 5 brought notable improvements to efficiency and performance compared to previous generation AMD chips and Intel counterparts. The flagship CPU is the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and slightly below it is the AMD Rzyen 7 9700X. They're two very different chips but which one should you purchase for an AMD-powered build? Having tested both chips extensively for our in-depth reviews, I'll run you through the differences and similarities to help you make the right choice, showcasing what you'd get with the 9950X over the 9700X.

Price, specs, and availability

Both of these AMD processors are designed using the Zen 5 architecture and built on TSMC's 4nm and 6nm manufacturing processes. Although there are only four processors in the AMD Ryzen 9000 line-up at the time of publication, the Ryzen 7 9700X is more a middle ground between the affordable Ryzen 5 and flagship Ryzne 9 series. The mighty AMD Ryzen 9 9950X has 16 cores, 32 threads, a top speed of 5.7GHz, and 81MB of cache. The Ryzen 7 9700X is slightly less equipped with 8 cores, 16 threads, a 5.5GHz maximum boost, and 40MB of cache.

• AMD Ryzen 9 9950X

  Socket

  AM5

  Cores

  16

  Threads

  32

  Base Clock Speed

  4.3 GHz

  Boost Clock Speed

  5.7 GHz

  PCIe

  5.0

  Cache

  81 MB

  RAM support

  DDR5-5600

  Graphics

  AMD Radeon Graphics (2 cores)

  Architecture

  Zen 5

  Process

  TSMC 4nm, 6nm

  TDP

  170 W

• AMD Ryzen 7 9700X

  Socket

  AM5

  Cores

  8

  Threads

  16

  Base Clock Speed

  3.8 GHz

  Boost Clock Speed

  5.5 GHz

  PCIe

  5.0

  Cache

  40 MB

  RAM support

  DDR5-6000

  Graphics

  AMD Radeon Graphics (2 cores)

  Architecture

  Zen 5

  Process

  TSMC 4nm, 6nm

  TDP

  65W

The same AMD Radeon Graphics is present on both processors with two cores. This should only be used for outputting video to a monitor. Gaming is out of the question unless you specify an AMD Ryzen 8000 APU. AMD recommends DDR5-6000 RAM for all AMD Ryzen 9000 processors though I've seen good results with DDR5-6400 and DDR5-7200. Like overclocking, your mileage will vary depending on the memory, motherboard, and CPU. A stark difference between these two processors is the TDP with the 9950X a full 105W higher, generating more heat and sucking more power.

Before I compare performance results, it's clear the 9950X will be notably more powerful than the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X.

Thermals and performance

It shouldn't come as a surprise to see the AMD Ryzne 9 9950X decimating almost every other AMD Ryzen processor. It's the latest generation and the most powerful. What is interesting is how close it is to the Intel Core i9 range of chips, yet manages to draw considerably less power. With a 175W TDP, you won't see it pull more than 200W from the AM5 socket at stock settings. The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is even more efficient, coming in at just 88W as the maximum power draw.

The results of these architectural advancements and better manufacturing processes from TSMC to cram more transistors on the platform are clear in our published charts. Synthetic workloads are no problem for the 9950X and the 9700X is a contender for the mid-range CPU title, almost surpassing the previous-gen AMD Ryzen 9 7900. Gaming is more nuance as the 9950X isn't the clear winner with the best performance. AMD's Ryzen 5 and Ryzen 7 seemed to fare better in our game tests, though this could change with future firmware updates.

Regardless of which processor you choose, they're excellent options for an AMD build.

Things you'll get with the 9950X over the 9700X

Higher clock speeds

AMD allows the Ryzen 9 9950X to boost up to 5.7GHz with the right CPU cooler. This is significantly higher than the 5.5GHz offered by the Ryzen 7 9700X. This results in better per-core performance if the processor can maintain higher clock speeds.

More cache

Cache is used by the processor to store data and instructions before resorting to RAM. Think of it as the primary cache for computing, followed by RAM, and then swap. The more cache you have, the better the performance as the CPU doesn't need to rely on slower RAM as much.

Better performance

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is one of the fastest CPUs of 2024. This is largely down to the high number of cores and clock speeds. With 32 threads, you can force your way through more intensive workloads, such as video editing.

Which CPU is right for you?

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a powerful processor with 16 cores and 32 threads. This is the CPU to buy if you have heavier workloads or need a processor with some more oomph. Being able to score high on various synthetic benchmarks with some overclocking headroom with the right CPU cooler, you'll have a great day with the 9950X. That's not to say it's perfect as it's far from it. The 9700X is the better buy for gaming.

Although the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X has fewer cores and threads than the 9950X at 8 and 16, respectively, it's the better buy for a gaming PC. Boosting up to 5.5 GHz under the right conditions, you'll have no trouble running even the most intensive applications such as video editors. So long as you don't mind slightly longer load times for rendering and other tasks, you can save considerably with this chip.