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AMD Ryzen 9 3950X review
Posted by: on: 11/15/2019 02:40 PM [
91 comment(s) ]
The review today hardly will need an introduction, the monolith has arrived, the consumer, and not even HEDT, the sixteen-core processor in the Ryzen 3000 family, the Ryzen 9 3950X. It is fast, feisty, agile and even affordable. Join us in a review of the Ryzen 9 3950X processor.
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schmidtbag
Senior Member
Posts: 4641
Senior Member
Posts: 4641
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:24 PM
I would only accuse it of being misleading (or just outright false) advertising if the CPU can't achieve the stated clock speeds regardless of how good all the other conditions are. So if your system has ample power, sufficient cooling, a sufficient VRM configuration, and high-speed RAM, yet you still can't achieve the peak speed, I think you have a perfectly valid reason to complain. Unfortunately (and probably deliberately), AMD doesn't tell us what the ideal conditions are, which to me is a bigger problem.
That being said, I would be fine with a claim of "up to 5GHz" if all CPUs are actually capable of reaching that, provided specified ideal conditions.
Well, considering a lot of hardware reviewers were also getting issues reaching max boost clocks, I don't think this is a similar situation. As far as I'm concerned, AMD just screwed up and specified over-ambitious specs.
I mean some definitely hit the numbers but some don't. My 3900x doesn't. At what point does the marketing become misleading? Let's say 1/40 samples AMD ships hits 5ghz. Would everyone be fine with AMD saying "Up to 5 ghz turbo" ? What if it was 1/100? What if it was 1/1000?
I would only accuse it of being misleading (or just outright false) advertising if the CPU can't achieve the stated clock speeds regardless of how good all the other conditions are. So if your system has ample power, sufficient cooling, a sufficient VRM configuration, and high-speed RAM, yet you still can't achieve the peak speed, I think you have a perfectly valid reason to complain. Unfortunately (and probably deliberately), AMD doesn't tell us what the ideal conditions are, which to me is a bigger problem.
That being said, I would be fine with a claim of "up to 5GHz" if all CPUs are actually capable of reaching that, provided specified ideal conditions.
It sounds ridiculous but similar stuff already happened with the phone SoCs - where manufacturers would create custom profiles to for the SoC to run unthrottled for benchmarks but in actual applications they'd never hit the marketed frequency.
Well, considering a lot of hardware reviewers were also getting issues reaching max boost clocks, I don't think this is a similar situation. As far as I'm concerned, AMD just screwed up and specified over-ambitious specs.
barbacot
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:33 PM
Beast!
I wonder why it isn't quite as good in gaming when it beats or matches the 9900k in most synthetic single-threaded tests?
If you search reviews on game specific sites you will see this cpu tested on much more games than here and overall the I9900 KS (5 GHZ turbo all cores, all the time) is the winner (overall)...
I think that this cpu was not created for gaming even if it is more than capable at this chapter but more for content creation and dealing with more difficult workloads that scale with core and thread counts, with clockspeed being less of a factor.
Beast!
I wonder why it isn't quite as good in gaming when it beats or matches the 9900k in most synthetic single-threaded tests?
If you search reviews on game specific sites you will see this cpu tested on much more games than here and overall the I9900 KS (5 GHZ turbo all cores, all the time) is the winner (overall)...
I think that this cpu was not created for gaming even if it is more than capable at this chapter but more for content creation and dealing with more difficult workloads that scale with core and thread counts, with clockspeed being less of a factor.
Dribble
Member
Posts: 86
Member
Posts: 86
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:37 PM
If you want lots of cores at a cheaper price then you can get a 3900X.
As for this one amazed it's not got more memory problems - dual channel with that many cores - it's gotta be a bottleneck sometimes. If I were looking for something with that many cores I'd probably just save a bit longer and get something with quad channel memory.
I don't really think a CPU costing $750, can be considered 'for the masses'.
If you want lots of cores at a cheaper price then you can get a 3900X.
As for this one amazed it's not got more memory problems - dual channel with that many cores - it's gotta be a bottleneck sometimes. If I were looking for something with that many cores I'd probably just save a bit longer and get something with quad channel memory.
moab600
Senior Member
Posts: 6124
Senior Member
Posts: 6124
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:39 PM
is that too hot??? i was eyeing this cpu despite recently i've bought the 3700X.
is that too hot??? i was eyeing this cpu despite recently i've bought the 3700X.
Mesab67
Senior Member
Posts: 180
Senior Member
Posts: 180
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:42 PM
Thanks Hilbert, appreciate the hard work.
It's eye-opening to see just how far things have come - and how far AMD have come in recent years...and we've a hell of a lot to thank AMD for. Finally, with proper competition, the consumer gets to benefit from their hard-earned purchase. Let's hope competition-driven innovation continues for some years.
Thanks Hilbert, appreciate the hard work.
It's eye-opening to see just how far things have come - and how far AMD have come in recent years...and we've a hell of a lot to thank AMD for. Finally, with proper competition, the consumer gets to benefit from their hard-earned purchase. Let's hope competition-driven innovation continues for some years.
barbacot
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:43 PM
Depends...if you are doing the occasional web surfing, watching youtube videos, using office and playing games your CPU is more than enough but if you are doing some serious Maya modelling, video creating and editing, autocad and so on then by all means upgrade.
is that too hot??? i was eyeing this cpu despite recently i've bought the 3700X.
Depends...if you are doing the occasional web surfing, watching youtube videos, using office and playing games your CPU is more than enough but if you are doing some serious Maya modelling, video creating and editing, autocad and so on then by all means upgrade.
bagrata
Junior Member
Posts: 8
Junior Member
Posts: 8
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:49 PM
and msrp is 1000$ less than 10 core 6950X from 2016 and 250$ less than 1950X.
thank nine divines for AMD
and msrp is 1000$ less than 10 core 6950X from 2016 and 250$ less than 1950X.
thank nine divines for AMD
ladcrooks
Senior Member
Posts: 369
Senior Member
Posts: 369
Posted on: 11/14/2019 06:56 PM
nor does a £1600 2080ti vga card. But if I was gonna waste money, it would be on this cpu :p
Well done AMD
:p
I don't really think a CPU costing $750, can be considered 'for the masses'.
nor does a £1600 2080ti vga card. But if I was gonna waste money, it would be on this cpu :p
Well done AMD
:p
moab600
Senior Member
Posts: 6124
Senior Member
Posts: 6124
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:11 PM
I have a high end DSLR, D850, and the raw files are around 100MB, so i edit a LOT of them.
3700X is a HUGE upgrade over mine 4790K, and the 3950X just seems like the best cpu for that.
Rarely doing video editing, but i do multitasking a lot.
Depends...if you are doing the occasional web surfing, watching youtube videos, using office and playing games your CPU is more than enough but if you are doing some serious Maya modelling, video creating and editing, autocad and so on then by all means upgrade.
I have a high end DSLR, D850, and the raw files are around 100MB, so i edit a LOT of them.
3700X is a HUGE upgrade over mine 4790K, and the 3950X just seems like the best cpu for that.
Rarely doing video editing, but i do multitasking a lot.
barbacot
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:16 PM
I have a high end DSLR, D850, and the raw files are around 100MB, so i edit a LOT of them.
3700X is a HUGE upgrade over mine 4790K, and the 3950X just seems like the best cpu for that.
Rarely doing video editing, but i do multitasking a lot.
I think that you are O.K. with the 3700X which IMHO might be the poster child for what this generation of processors has to offer.
3700X is a brilliant piece of hardware.
I have a high end DSLR, D850, and the raw files are around 100MB, so i edit a LOT of them.
3700X is a HUGE upgrade over mine 4790K, and the 3950X just seems like the best cpu for that.
Rarely doing video editing, but i do multitasking a lot.
I think that you are O.K. with the 3700X which IMHO might be the poster child for what this generation of processors has to offer.
3700X is a brilliant piece of hardware.
D3M1G0D
Senior Member
Posts: 2049
Senior Member
Posts: 2049
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:18 PM
The only question is availability. Will the shortage problems that plagued the 3900X also plague the 3950X?
The only question is availability. Will the shortage problems that plagued the 3900X also plague the 3950X?
deusex
Senior Member
Posts: 545
Senior Member
Posts: 545
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:22 PM
Very interesting CPU, for the price/performance not really worth getting over 3900X.
Wondering when is HH planning to post review of Threadripper?
Very interesting CPU, for the price/performance not really worth getting over 3900X.
Wondering when is HH planning to post review of Threadripper?
schmidtbag
Senior Member
Posts: 4641
Senior Member
Posts: 4641
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:25 PM
I'm sure there will be shortage problems but I doubt it'll be as bad. The 3950X is a substantial price increase and I'm sure many of its potential customers already bought the 3900X. Also, I think some of the clock issues surrounding the 3900X may have reduced some of the potential buyers.
The only question is availability. Will the shortage problems that plagued the 3900X also plague the 3950X?
I'm sure there will be shortage problems but I doubt it'll be as bad. The 3950X is a substantial price increase and I'm sure many of its potential customers already bought the 3900X. Also, I think some of the clock issues surrounding the 3900X may have reduced some of the potential buyers.
barbacot
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Senior Member
Posts: 280
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:30 PM
Since both the Ryzen 9 3900X and the Ryzen 9 3950X use two 7nm die, but the 3950X requires that both dies be fully functional and ryzen 3900X is still somewhat hard to find you can bet that availability will be scarce the first one - two months...
Also I see that even AMD recommends to use a 280mm AIO liquid cooler for this CPU, if not something even larger. You can use "eco mode" - ECO mode results in performance decreases in the neighborhood of 10% – 15%. with total power drop in the neighborhood of the 3700X which is still great.
Maybe I missed it but the ECO mode was not tested here in this review???
Since both the Ryzen 9 3900X and the Ryzen 9 3950X use two 7nm die, but the 3950X requires that both dies be fully functional and ryzen 3900X is still somewhat hard to find you can bet that availability will be scarce the first one - two months...
Also I see that even AMD recommends to use a 280mm AIO liquid cooler for this CPU, if not something even larger. You can use "eco mode" - ECO mode results in performance decreases in the neighborhood of 10% – 15%. with total power drop in the neighborhood of the 3700X which is still great.
Maybe I missed it but the ECO mode was not tested here in this review???
Marcin Grochowski
Junior Member
Posts: 1
Junior Member
Posts: 1
Posted on: 11/14/2019 07:35 PM
Hello, how come the Vegas pro tests go so bad? 3900x has an advantage over 3950x? Please answer this question, it is very important to me.
Hello, how come the Vegas pro tests go so bad? 3900x has an advantage over 3950x? Please answer this question, it is very important to me.
Ambient
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Junior Member
Posts: 7
Posted on: 11/14/2019 08:08 PM
Intel K.O. ! AMD you are insane !!!
Intel K.O. ! AMD you are insane !!!
Hilbert Hagedoorn
Don Vito Corleone
Posts: 36833
Don Vito Corleone
Posts: 36833
Posted on: 11/14/2019 08:48 PM
When the embargo is lifted
Wondering when is HH planning to post review of Threadripper?
When the embargo is lifted
moab600
Senior Member
Posts: 6124
Senior Member
Posts: 6124
Posted on: 11/14/2019 08:55 PM
I think that you are O.K. with the 3700X which IMHO might be the poster child for what this generation of processors has to offer.
3700X is a brilliant piece of hardware.
No doubt about that, that's why i bought it, but you know, some of us are Core whores
I think that you are O.K. with the 3700X which IMHO might be the poster child for what this generation of processors has to offer.
3700X is a brilliant piece of hardware.
No doubt about that, that's why i bought it, but you know, some of us are Core whores
Agonist
Senior Member
Posts: 2762
Senior Member
Posts: 2762
Posted on: 11/14/2019 09:49 PM
I love bossman calling out the fanboys.
I love bossman calling out the fanboys.
Kool64
Senior Member
Posts: 498
Senior Member
Posts: 498
Posted on: 11/14/2019 10:28 PM
I'm just going to go ahead and glue another 3700X to my existing one.......
I'm just going to go ahead and glue another 3700X to my existing one.......
wavetrex
Senior Member
Posts: 750
Senior Member
Posts: 750
Posted on: 11/14/2019 10:36 PM
Long Live the King !
... but yet again testing a $750 CPU on a $700 motherboard with $1200 GPU and expensive everything else except...
... weak DDR4-3200 memory.
(3600 just for the AIDA64 page... ugh)
Why Hilbert, WHY ?
Long Live the King !
... but yet again testing a $750 CPU on a $700 motherboard with $1200 GPU and expensive everything else except...
... weak DDR4-3200 memory.
(3600 just for the AIDA64 page... ugh)
Why Hilbert, WHY ?
Angushades
Senior Member
Posts: 210
Senior Member
Posts: 210
Posted on: 11/14/2019 10:41 PM
Wrong!! Please use your own brain stop repeat information found on YouTube. It’s most likely because game developers have had 10 years of ring bus to optimise with also because you have had game engine built around such technologies. Has any big game dev stated that amd is slower because of the higher latency ....nope. It may seem If you improve memory speed you get higher fps but those things are no directly correlated in all games.
From phone please for give me.
Mostly due to Higher memorylatency...
Wrong!! Please use your own brain stop repeat information found on YouTube. It’s most likely because game developers have had 10 years of ring bus to optimise with also because you have had game engine built around such technologies. Has any big game dev stated that amd is slower because of the higher latency ....nope. It may seem If you improve memory speed you get higher fps but those things are no directly correlated in all games.
From phone please for give me.
Clouseau
Senior Member
Posts: 2426
Senior Member
Posts: 2426
Posted on: 11/15/2019 02:51 AM
^ If latency is not the issue then explain why then AMD would sponsor a game in which both Intel and Nvidia out perform their offerings? Borderlands 3 is a recent game that has an AMD splash screen instead of Intel or Nvidia. Why on earth throw money at a game that is optimized far better for the competition than your own? Lots of factors affect latency. Everything mentioned from hardware to engines being optimized for ring bus all have an effect on latency. Memory latency is just a subpart of the latency issue. One in Which AMD still needs to address. What was their solution to mitigate the latency penalty when the IF clock does not match the MEMCLK? Faster Frequency? Tweaked timings? Both? If that right there is not admitting to their weakness I do not know what is.
^ If latency is not the issue then explain why then AMD would sponsor a game in which both Intel and Nvidia out perform their offerings? Borderlands 3 is a recent game that has an AMD splash screen instead of Intel or Nvidia. Why on earth throw money at a game that is optimized far better for the competition than your own? Lots of factors affect latency. Everything mentioned from hardware to engines being optimized for ring bus all have an effect on latency. Memory latency is just a subpart of the latency issue. One in Which AMD still needs to address. What was their solution to mitigate the latency penalty when the IF clock does not match the MEMCLK? Faster Frequency? Tweaked timings? Both? If that right there is not admitting to their weakness I do not know what is.
OneCosmic
Junior Member
Posts: 4
Junior Member
Posts: 4
Posted on: 11/15/2019 03:50 AM
And where is the CCX overclocking? Everybody knows that two CCD Zen 2 processors have a better and worse die, at least this seems to be the case with 3950X too, so you should have tested that to confirm and test how high you can overclock per CCX, multicore overclocking on these processors is nonsense.
And where is the CCX overclocking? Everybody knows that two CCD Zen 2 processors have a better and worse die, at least this seems to be the case with 3950X too, so you should have tested that to confirm and test how high you can overclock per CCX, multicore overclocking on these processors is nonsense.
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Senior Member
Posts: 280
Yes, beast and so on but I see that everybody is overlooking the same thing that was said here over and over about 9900k - this "beast" runs very hot.
In fact to quote:
So, at the price of 750 bucks add a decent LCS kit and you will pay near 1000 bucks!
There is no denying - it is a workhorse for content creation and as soon as I will find it in stock I will buy it for my workstation combined with a kraken x72.