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The AMD Ryzen 9000 Series will launch this July and will utilize a new Zen 5 architecture while remaining compatible with current motherboard chipsets thebest CPUs for gaminguse already. This means if your system is compatible with AMD’s Ryzen 7000 Series processors, or indeed the 8000G Series, you can upgrade to the new 9000 Series without having to invest in an entirely new system.
The 9000 series flagship will be the Ryzen 9 9950X, which sports 16 Cores and 32 Threads, a 5.7GHz Boost Clock, 80MB of L2+L3 cache, and a 170W TDP. Interestingly, these specs aren’t all that different from the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, which also has 16 Cores and 32 Threads.
The big difference between the two is in their architecture, as Zen 5, the new blueprint for 9000 Series desktop processors, is said to allow for a 16% mean performance increase across the board vs Zen 4. It allows for twice the data bandwidth thanks to a wider pipeline and vectors, two times the instruction bandwidth thanks to a new performance Core design, and the same uplift in AI performance thanks to increased throughput.
Also launching in the 9000 Series is a Ryzen 9 9900X with 12 Cores and 24 Threads, a Ryzen 7 9700X with 8 Cores and 16 threads, and a Ryzen 5 9600X with 6 Cores and 12 Threads.
We don’t have pricing information for the new 9000 Series yet, but its arrival could mean a price drop for the 7000 Series and a wider adoption of those CPUs in thebest gaming PCs.
AM4 for my next trick…
As if a new generation of desktop processors wasn’t enough, AMD is yet again adding to the AM4 range with two new desktop CPUs. The Ryzen 9 5900XT also launches in July, packing 16 Cores and 32 threads and up to a 4.8GHz boost clock.
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The Ryzen 7 5800XT is armed with 8 Cores, 16 Threads, and up to the same 4.8GHz boost clock. The two will join a refreshed batch of Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 5 5000 Series processors that released at the end of January. One of these was the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D which brought the brand’s extra-beefy cache technology to older motherboards.
This attitude really contrasts with Intel, which has supported its current LGA motherboard socket across the 12th, 13th, and 14th Generation of CPUs, but shows no sign of supporting anyone who bought into the 11th Generation.
It’s fantastic that PC gamers who bought into the AMD ecosystem can upgrade older systems using AMD’s architecture - even if the part of me that reviews thebest RAM for gamingfeels a little antsy about their lack of DDR5 compatibility.
For more portable PC gaming, check out thebest gaming handhelds, thebest gaming laptops, and thebest VR headsets.
One of my earliest memories is playing SuperMario64 and wondering why the controller I held had three grips, but I only had two hands. Ever since I’ve been in love with video games and their technology. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship at Expert Reviews. Over the last decade, I’ve been managing my ownYouTube channelabout my love of games too. These days, I’m one of the resident hardware nerds at GamesRadar+, and I take the lead on our coverage of gaming PCs, VR, controllers, gaming chairs, and content creation gear. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.Location: UK Remote
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