{"id":935497,"date":"2025-12-29T15:46:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T15:46:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/7T3DQpcBWixuTCCaJyoFdF"},"modified":"2025-12-29T15:46:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T15:46:19","slug":"amd-ryzen-9-9900x-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcader.org\/news\/amd-ryzen-9-9900x-review\/","title":{"rendered":"AMD Ryzen 9 9900X review"},"content":{"rendered":"
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With the retail launch of its Ryzen 9000-series<\/a> of processors, AMD chose to stagger the releases, with the more affordable Ryzen 5 9600X<\/a> and Ryzen 7 9700X<\/a> hitting shelves last week. Now it's the turn of the top-end chips and first up is the $499 Ryzen 9 9900X.<\/p>\n

Let me begin by confessing my bias for AMD's 12-core processors, as I really rate the Ryzen 9 7900X<\/a> and 7900. The latter has been a solid workhorse of a chip, powering my primary AM5 test PC, running games and content creation apps with ease. Sure, the full-fat 16-core models top the charts when it comes to multithreaded performance and you can't beat the X3D chips, with their extra L3 cache, for gaming but the Ryzen 9 7900 really is a fantastic all-round CPU.<\/p>\n

I was keen on seeing what the Zen 5 update of one of my favourite chips was going to be like but after reviewing the 9600X and 9700X, I realised that I would need to temper my expectations somewhat. What I didn't realise at the time was just how much I'd need to lower my hopes.<\/p>\n

The Ryzen 9 9900X comprises three chiplets underneath the heatspreader\u2014two CCDs (Core Complex Dies), each with six cores and 12 threads, and a single IOD (Input\/Output Die). That's exactly the same as the previous Ryzen 9 7900X model but there are some further revisions, other than the obvious AMD Zen 5 architecture<\/a> advances.<\/p>\n

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Ryzen 9 9900X specs<\/div>\n
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Cores:<\/strong> 12
\nThreads:<\/strong> 24
\nBase clock:<\/strong> 4.5 GHz
\nBoost clock:<\/strong> 5.6 GHz
\nL3 Cache:<\/strong> 64 MB
\nL2 Cache:<\/strong> 12 MB
\nUnlocked: <\/strong>Yes
\nMax PCIe lanes:<\/strong> 24
\nGraphics:<\/strong> Radeon Graphics
\nMemory support (up to):<\/strong> DDR5-5800
\nProcessor Base Power (W):<\/strong> 120
\nMaximum Package Power (W):<\/strong> 162
\nRecommended customer price:<\/strong> \u00a0$499\/\u00a3459.99<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Where the 7900X has a base clock of 4.7 GHz and a TDP of 170 W, the new 9900X has a base clock of 4.4 GHz and a much lower TDP, just 120 W. The boost clocks are the same for both chips (5.6 GHz) so the new model has a smaller power budget with which to maintain boost clocks when under heavy load.<\/p>\n

Upon installing the chip, the first thing I checked out was the idle behaviour, as this was something that I'd noticed with the 9600X and 9700X as being unusual, compared to AMD's figures. Once again, my configuration of Windows and an Asus ROG Crosshair X670E Hero<\/a> motherboard, using an AMD-supplied 2201 BIOS, resulted in an elevated idle power consumption, typically around the 40 W mark.<\/p>\n

For cooling, I used an Asus ROG Strix LC III 360 mm AIO liquid cooler, and it had no problem dealing with this\u2014in fact, it idled a good 10 \u00b0C cooler than the 9600X, so the high-ish idle power consumption wasn't a problem. I suspect that this will all be resolved in time, although AMD did suggest that one should be using the Balanced power profile in Windows. I tried all of them and it didn't make a jot of difference.<\/p>\n

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Anyway, you're here for the benchmarks, so let's start with the good news. The Ryzen 9 9900X is great in tests that mimic the CPU workloads experienced in content creation and other professional applications, such as rendering, file compression and decompression, and video editing.<\/p>\n

If your PC is used primarily for productivity tasks, then the fast performance and relatively low power consumption of the Ryzen 9 9900X clearly make it an ideal choice for anyone considering Zen 5 for a prosumer workstation. Well, there is a big Eco-mode caveat to all that, however, which I'll come to shortly.<\/p>\n