AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is finally here, packing in 16 CPU cores and two 3D V-Cache chips

It’s official! Well over a year since it was first speculated, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is official, and could be yours in less than a month’s time. Packing in 16 cores and two of the company’s 64MB 3D V-Cache dies, this CPU is an absolute monster, but AMD is pitching it as one for developers and creators, not for mere gaming mortals.

In fact, so low-key has AMD been with the launch of this new chip that it dropped the news completely out of the blue, including via an email comprising just 154 words, inclusive of greetings. In that email, no mention is made of gaming, suggesting this won’t be competing with the 9850X3D or 9950X3D for being the best gaming CPU. However, in a video announcing the new chip, Jack Huynh, SVP & GM of AMD’s Computing and Graphics division, described the new CPU as still providing “the incredible gaming performance you expect from a Ryzen 9 X3D processor.”

Huynh goes on to say that the 9950X3D2 will really shine “in workloads that thrive on ultra-fast data access.” That means “large software builds, game engine compiles […] 3D rendering, and complex content creation pipelines” and, yes, “AI models.”

For these tasks, AMD says the 9950X3D2 will be 5-10% faster than the 9950X3D, which doesn’t seem like much of an uptick. That’s not a surprise, as the company hinted as much when we spoke to them about the prospect of this CPU last year.

This ultimately speaks to why AMD has been fairly low-key with this launch. The 9950X3D is already a very expensive CPU, with its MSRP of $699. Given how much extra cost adding an extra 3D V-Cache die seems to be for these chips, packing a second one into the 9950X3D2 means we’re probably looking at at least a $799 CPU, if not more. For just 5-10% more performance, this is mostly going to be a CPU for bragging rights.

While the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 price isn’t yet official, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 release date is, with it launching on April 22.