Ryzen 7 5800x Vs Ryzen 9 3950x

AMD'due south Ryzen 5000 series CPUs have stormed the market and made their mark every bit affordable processors that pack a whole lot of punch for the cost. Even so, consumers shouldn't look just at these new and shiny CPUs for their builds. The Ryzen 3000 series dominated the market in 2019 with powerful multi-thread CPUs that tin can still stand up, in some ways, to the functioning of the new Zen 3 based Ryzen 5000 series chips.

The 3000 series aren't processors that should be skipped over solely due to them beingness from a previous generation. AMD'south focus was more centered on packing a ton of threads and cores into their CPUs, fifty-fifty more so than the electric current generation'due south offerings. With both fries being based on AMD'south dumbo 7nm node infrastructure, at that place is a lot of value to be had in the Ryzen 3000 series in 2021. Specifically, the Ryzen 3900X has a few competitive legs up on the recently released Ryzen 5800X.

Specifications

CPU	Ryzen 9 3900X	Ryzen 7 5800X
Design
Cores/Threads	12/24	8/xvi
Base/Boost GHz	three.8/4.6	3.8/four.vii
TDP	105W	105W
L3 Cache	64MB	32MB
Included Cooler	Wraith Prism	No
MSRP	$499	$449
Availability	Amazon.com	Amazon.com

Cores & Threads – Necktie

A cursory glance may atomic number 82 many to believe that the Ryzen 9 3900X dominates the competition in terms of cores and threads. Afterward all, this previous generation CPU packs 12 cores and 24 threads compared to the Ryzen 7 5800X's 8 cores and 16 threads. The raw number of cores and threads isn't the sole metric here. AMD has improved upon the infrastructure of the CPU's cadre pattern to evangelize lightning-fast performance with fewer cores and threads with the 5000 series CPUs. That being said, the Ryzen 9 3900X's vast core count does have its advantages.

The Ryzen nine 3900X pulls ahead and offers faster multi-thread performance in tasks such as heavy rendering, video editing, and other workstation workloads. In those cases, the higher core and thread count makes for amend performance. On the other side of things, the Ryzen 7 5800X's improved design leads to much faster unmarried-thread performance. Gamers looking to simply purchase a CPU that can evangelize faster frame rates will want to avoid the Ryzen 9 3900X in favor of the much faster Ryzen vii 5800X. Just that isn't the terminate-all-be-all of this comparison still. The Ryzen 9 3900X has a few more tricks up its sleeve for the more work-focused consumers out at that place.

Clock Speeds & L3 Enshroud – Ryzen 9 3900X

Out of the box, performance is nearly identical betwixt the 2 CPUs. The Ryzen 9 3900X sports base speeds of iii.8GHz with overclocking bringing that figure to 4.7Ghz with a bit of tuning. The Ryzen 7 5800X starts at the same 3.8GHz while climbing upwardly to a slightly college figure at 4.7GHz. The difference in base speeds is almost negligible, though both CPUs are very user-friendly when information technology comes to overclocking. AMD allows for auto-overclocking in the BIOS settings right from the commencement, then users won't exist left trying to navigate confusing menus or circuitous programs just to get that boosted functioning.

Turning to other metrics for raw performance is a must with such similar cervix-to-cervix performance in terms of clock speeds. The L3 cache, or what AMD deemed the "GameCache" with the 3000 series release, allows for amend operation in games or programs that frequently draw from short-term stored memory. The larger the cache, the quicker these tasks can be performed since the CPU doesn't have to communicate with other forms of onboard memory like RAM.

The Ryzen 9 3900X sports a massive L3 cache with 64MB while the Ryzen vii 5800X has just 32MB. Both L3 caches far outpace the comparable Intel offerings from both generations. But the Ryzen nine 3900X's is far more robust, doubling the memory of the 5000 series CPU. With both CPUs able to brand the virtually of the DDR4-3200MHz memory, the Ryzen 9 3900X pulls out of this metric ahead.

TDP & Included Cooling – Ryzen 9 3900X

The height-of-the-line previous generation Ryzen 9 3900X and Ryzen vii 5800X share the aforementioned base TDP of 105W. Putting the fries through their bases may bring that number up to a peak of around 125W, but neither CPU will put nearly as much power as the offerings from Team Blue. What may brand the Ryzen nine 3900X a slightly better value is that it is an enthusiast CPU that actually comes packaged with a cooler that can easily handle the heat it generates.

The Wraith Prism RGB is a four estrus pipe cooler with multiple fan modes, RGB, and software to control all of those features. It's a solid stock cooler that will be more than enough for consumers looking to get the most blindside for their back. Meanwhile, the Ryzen vii 5800X does non come up with any sort of included cooling solution.

MSRP – Ryzen seven 5800X

The price is where things get a piddling catchy. The Ryzen ix 3900X retailed at $499 in 2019, and most online retailers like Amazon are hanging on to that figure. Nevertheless, those looking for deals can find many second-mitt options for as low equally only a few hundred dollars. Now, buying 2nd-hand hardware, particularly electronics, comes with a risk and any warranty volition be long voided. But information technology is worth noting that there is much more available in that market than there is for the newer Ryzen 7 5800X. The newer CPU retails at $449, making it slightly less expensive than its previous generation counterpart. That's but if you are lucky enough to pick the Ryzen 7 5800X while it is both in stock and available at MSRP.

Verdict – Ryzen 7 5800X

It'south difficult to say with certainty that one of these CPUs is the easily-down best option for every consumer or enthusiast. The Ryzen 9 3900X offers a very different feature set that is more tailored towards multi-thread tasks, workstations, and productivity. The Ryzen 7 5800X slides ahead with stellar gaming and single-thread functioning. Despite being outclassed in L3 cache and base cores/threads, the Ryzen seven 5800X volition be the best centre-ground for enthusiasts going back and forth between the 2 CPUs. It's hard to go wrong with either choice, but the Ryzen 7 5800X offers a better alloy of single and multi-thread performance at a slightly more affordable toll point.

Best Component Pairings for the Ryzen 9 5950X

Your build doesn't end with the CPU. Your component journey has simply begun. Those looking to get their hands on the Ryzen 7 5800X will demand similarly powerful and reliable components to make the nearly of it. Take a look at a few of our guides for the best motherboards, CPU coolers, and graphics cards for this fast 5000 series CPU. You can even take a look at our Ryzen 7 5800X gaming build for a no-compromise machine that can deliver acme-of-the-line gaming operation.