If you're in the process of building a new gaming PC and searching for the best gaming processor, look no further. The recently released AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D AM5 desktop processor is back in stock on Amazon at its retail price of $489 shipped. This processor stands out as the best gaming processor currently available, outperforming both AMD and Intel's offerings. It's a superior choice for gamers when compared to the pricier Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.

The Gamer's Choice: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D AM5 Desktop Processor

$489.00 at Amazon
AMD's X3D series processors are specifically optimized for gaming, thanks to AMD's innovative 3D V-Cache technology. They outperform even the most expensive standard AMD CPUs in gaming benchmarks. While they can handle multitasking, rendering, and content creation, their limited number of cores makes them less ideal for those tasks. At its retail price of $489, the 9800X3D is not only $100 cheaper than the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K ($589) but also $160 less than the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, yet it surpasses both in gaming performance. Unless you're an Intel loyalist or sticking with AM4 and avoiding a full upgrade, the 9800X3D is the clear choice for your next PC build.

AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D excels in games, making it a top recommendation over other recent processors like the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K or Ryzen 9 9900X. If you're building a rig with a powerful graphics card, the 9800X3D will maximize the performance of your chosen GPU."

The other two Zen 5 "X3D" chips are out of stock

Alongside the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, AMD released two higher-end Ryzen 9 siblings in the Zen 5 "X3D" stack this year: the 9950X3D, priced at $699, and the 9900X3D, priced at $599. These processors are currently out of stock but represent the pinnacle of gaming performance across both Intel and AMD. For dedicated gamers, the 9800X3D remains the best value, allowing you to allocate funds elsewhere. However, creators with a larger budget and a passion for gaming will benefit from the significant performance boost provided by the Ryzen 9 processors, thanks to their increased core count and cache.

The Creator's Choice: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D AM5 Desktop Processor

$699.00 at Amazon | $699.00 at Best Buy | $699.00 at Newegg
Creative professionals who also seek the best gaming chip should look no further than the 9950X3D. With a max boost clock of 5.7GHz, 16 cores, 32 threads, and 144MB of L2-L3 cache, it offers only a slight edge in gaming over the 9800X3D. However, for productivity tasks, it significantly outpaces the other Zen 5 X3D chips and anything Intel has to offer.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Review by Jacqueline Thomas
"The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the most powerful gaming processor on the market, but that doesn't mean it's universally superior. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D, priced at $479, is more than adequate for most users. The 9950X3D is ideal for gamers who also use creative applications like Photoshop and Premiere, where it offers a 15% performance increase over the 9800X3D. For a pure gaming build, saving the extra $220 for a better graphics card might be the smarter move."

The Middleman: AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D CPU

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D AM5 Desktop Processor

$599.00 at Amazon | $599.00 at Best Buy | $599.00 at Newegg
The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D is perfect for those who do creative work and enjoy gaming but need to stick to a budget. With a max boost clock of 5.5GHz, 12 cores, 24 threads, and 140MB of L2-L3 cache, it's expected to perform between the 9950X3D and 9800X3D in productivity tasks and multi-core workloads. In gaming, its performance should be comparable to its siblings.

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