AMD’s X3D processors are absolutely the best around if you’re building a gaming PC. The extra performance you get from the 3D V-cache is why the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the first of its generation to launch with the feature late last year, is still a hot ticket item. AMD has gotten to work in the mines foundries on its top-of-the-line 9950X3D and 9900X3D, and now we know when they’ll arrive. Probably.
Update, March 7th: AMD has confirmed to PCWorld that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D will launch on March 12th. Their US prices will be $699 and 599, respectively. The original story continues below.
I’ll stop teasing you: It’s March 12th, next Wednesday. That’s the launch date for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D according to JD.com, one of the biggest retailers in mainland China (spotted by Tom’s Hardware). That isn’t a guarantee of its worldwide availability next week… but based on AMD’s recent chip releases and various rumors floating around, it seems like a pretty safe bet at this point. The leaked prices for the 16-core and 12-core monster CPUs are 5,599 yuan (~$772 USD) and 4,599 yuan (~$634), respectively.
Before you get too worried, the price for the 9800X3D in China is (as far as I can tell) 4,000 yuan, or approximately $552 — various factors like value-added tax tend to make things more expensive compared to dollar prices. In fact, that price difference versus the $479 retail price in the US is pretty much spot-on for the 15 percent VAT rate.
Doing a little napkin math, that would put the 9950X3D at about $650 or $660 and the 9900X3D at $540. All pretty reasonable, considering the $700 and $600 prices of the corresponding X3D chips from the 7000 generation back in 2023. That’s assuming various other factors don’t drive up prices, either before or after the release date.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld
Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he's the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop "battlestation" in his off hours. Michael's previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he's covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he's always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.