The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X marks the top of a years-long battle between Intel and AMD. The 2 chip producers have been battling it out for dominance throughout multi- and single-threaded efficiency, and for the longest time, nobody appeared to return out the last word winner.
For the longest time, there was this unstated rule: for sturdy multi-threaded efficiency ideally suited for inventive {and professional} functions, you go together with AMD, and for enjoying one of the best PC video games, Intel would have one of the best processors.
Now, with the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, AMD has each. This time around, AMD can be focusing on PC gaming. This was obviously sufficient on the Ryzen 5000 processors presentation centered virtually on gaming, making inventive functions a little bit of a footnote.
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, alongside the remainder of the Ryzen 5000 lineup, is lastly knocking Intel out of the working for the “greatest processor for gaming.” Not solely has Intel nonetheless not applied for PCIe 4.zero help, making AMD processors extra fully-featured and future-proof; however, AMD has higher efficiency throughout the board.
Pricing and availability
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is offered in the present day for $549 (about £420, AU$760). That could be a $50 (about £30, AU$40) worth bounce from the 3900X, which launched for $499 (about £390, AU$720) again in July 2019. That 10% worth bounce is a tricky capsule to swallow; however, it’s largely partially because of Intel’s lack of competitors.
For comparability’s sake, the Intel Core i9-10900Ok launched for $488 (about £400, AU$750) again in Could 2020 and did not handle to sort out the Ryzen 9 3900X meaningfully. Nonetheless, Intel did at the very least handle with that processor to carry on to its single-core crown for a short while.
However, as a result of the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X trounces the Core i9-10900Ok so totally, AMD’s new processor form exists in a realm of its personal, the place the worth hike at the very least begins to appear justified.
At this worth level, there may be nothing that may even method the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, so in case you’re available in the market for a high-end shopper processor, there actually is not every other selection proper now.
Options and chipset
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is constructed on the Zen Three structure, which on a floor degree could look just like Zen 2 – they’re each 7nm, in any case. Nonetheless, AMD has redesigned the bottom structure to improve IPC efficiency and effectiveness to place no prisoners.
The most important distinction in structure from Zen 2 to Zen Three is that as a substitute of getting two Core Complexes (CCX) per compute die (CCD), every CCD solely has one CCX, with every CCX having as much as Eight cores, quite than Four cores on Zen 2. This alteration not solely cuts down on latency when cores are speaking with one another. However, it also implies that every CCX has entry to a full 32MB of L3 cache, quite than being restricted to 16MB of the stuff on Zen 2.
This means whereas the Ryzen 9 5900X has the identical quantity of L3 Cache because the Ryzen 9 3900X at 64MB, every core has direct entry to 32MB on the 5900X, quite than 16MB on the 3900X.
As a result of cache is so necessary to gaming efficiency, this variation, together with the upper clock speeds, massively boosts gaming efficiency. In reality, as we’ll discover later, AMD has boosted efficiency throughout the board right here.
So far as uncooked specs go, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is a 12 core, 24 thread processor, with a lift clock as much as 4.8GHz. It has the identical 105W TDP because the Ryzen 9 3900X, and in our testing solely reached a max of 142.27W, compared with the 145.3W that the Ryzen 9 3900X reached in the identical testing suite. This merely demonstrates how, rather more effectively, AMD was in a position to squeeze out of Zen 3.
One other large successful level right here is that we do not have a brand new chipset this time. X570 motherboards are the top-end boards for AMD Ryzen 5000 processors, which is good news for anybody trying to improve from an older Ryzen processor. It also implies that we cannot run into any main inventory points.
In fact, to be able to improve to one in every one of these processors, you may nonetheless replace your BIOS, although new motherboards will ship with a Ryzen 5000-ready BIOS preinstalled. To be protected, although you will need to verify to ensure the motherboard you are shopping for has the newest BIOS put in earlier than you attempt to set it up.
However, that compatibility goes additional than simply 500-series motherboards; sure, X470 and B450 motherboards can even help Ryzen 5000 processors just like the Ryzen 9 5900X, although not all of them. Once more, you will need to verify the producer’s web site to ensure the motherboard you are will likely be suitable.
When you’re a brand new AMD consumer, one factor you will need to pay attention to is how temperatures work. Quite than having one static enhance goal like an Intel processor, AMD Zen Three processors will always maximize efficiency. This implies that you could see uncomfortably excessive temperatures, particularly if you’re pushing the processor laborious.
For example, in our testing, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X peaked at the highest temperature of 86°C – and that is with a 360mm AIO cooler connected. Don’t fret; that is how Ryzen is designed. AMD has advised us that the brand new processors could peak around 98°C, and anticipated. Your processor is not going to burst into flames.
At a similar time, Intel’s processors run a lot cooler. In the identical suite of exams with the identical cooler, the Intel Core i9-10900Ok peaked at simply 73°C. Once more, that is only a distinction in how these coolers are designed. However, AMD’s processors may result in extra sizzling air circulating your case, relying on utilizing the cooler.
On that matter, AMD is not together with a Wraith cooler within the field anymore, which suggests you are going to need to spend money on an aftermarket cooling answer, so we would advise going with at the very least a 240mm AIO liquid CPU cooler or a thick air cooler just like the Noctua NH-U12A.
Efficiency
That is the system we used to check desktop CPU efficiency:
Intel 10th Gen:
CPU Cooler: Cooler Grasp Masterliquid 360P Silver Version
Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
RAM: 32GB HyperX Predator RGB @ 3,000MHz
Motherboard: MSI MEG Z490 Godlike
SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Professional @ 1TB
Intel ninth Gen:
CPU Cooler: Cooler Grasp Masterliquid 360P Silver Version
Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
RAM: 32GB HyperX Predator RGB @ 3,000MHz
Motherboard: MSI MEG Z390 ACE
SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Professional @ 1TB
Energy Provide: Phanteks RevoltX 1200
Case: Praxis Wetbench
AMD third Gen:
CPU Cooler: Cooler Grasp Masterliquid 360P Silver Version Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
RAM: 32GB HyperX Predator RGB @ 3,000MHz Motherboard: X570 Aorus Grasp
SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Professional @ 1TB
Energy Provide: Phanteks RevoltX 1200
Case: Praxis Wetbench
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X and Ryzen 7 5800X:
CPU Cooler: Cooler Grasp Masterliquid 360P Silver Version Graphics card: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti
RAM: 32GB HyperX Predator RGB @ 3,000MHz Motherboard: AsRock X570 Taichi
SSD: ADATA XPG SX8200 Professional @ 1TB
Energy Provide: Corsair AX1000
Earlier than we dive into efficiency, we have to get one factor out of the best way. As a result of the hectic season, we weren’t able to retest all of the CPUs in time for this evaluation. As an alternative, we’re utilizing the outcomes from the final time we examined all of those processors for the Ryzen 3000XT opinions again in Could 2020. We’ll retest every little thing within the close to future and replace the evaluation. We do not count on outcomes to alter an excessive amount. Oh, and our testing motherboard broke, and we’re utilizing brand new energy provide – enjoyable, proper?
The AMD Ryzen 9 5900X is the quickest processor we have ever examined on a mainstream platform, and it isn’t even that shut. In all, however, one in every one of our exams, the Ryzen 9 5900X was considerably forward of not solely its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 3900X, however forward of its foremost competitors – the Intel Core i9-10900Ok.
We centered our testing round gaming this time around, as that is the core use-case AMD is now championing – and with good motive.
In probably the most CPU-demanding sport in our testing suite, Assassins Creed Odyssey, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X beats the Intel Core i9-10900Ok by 8%, pushing it above 80 fps. Nonetheless, this takes a look at it is just about even with the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X.
The Ryzen 9 5900X has an even bigger departure in Complete Conflict: Three Kingdoms, nevertheless, which is a sport that has all the time favored Intel processors. On this sport, the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X averages 116 fps at 1080p with the Extremely high quality preset, beating out the Intel Core i9-10900Ok’s 108 fps on a similar decision and high quality. That is a 7% distinction, there, too.
The one place Intel holds the lead is within the Time Spy physics take a look at. For this, please take a look at, we isolate the CPU rating, quiet than report the general rating. The Ryzen 9 5900X scores 12,885 factors to Intel’s 13,888 factors. That is a 7% lead in Intel’s favor, turning the tables in that artificial gaming workload. Nonetheless, what’s spectacular is that it is now even with the Ryzen 9 3950X, the earlier technology flagship.
Shifting on to pure CPU workloads, the Ryzen 9 5900X unsurprisingly wipes the ground with the Core i9-10900Ok in multi-core workloads – however that was true of the Ryzen 9 3900X. Nonetheless, the Ryzen 9 5900X, within the GeekBench 5 multi-core take a look at is now 24% sooner than the Intel Core i9-10900Ok, up from the 11% lead loved by the Ryzen 9 3900X.
In Cinebench R20, which simulates rendering for inventive functions, the multi-core lead expands to a whopping 31%. The smallest lead in pure CPU efficiency comes within the SISoft Sandra CPU Arithmetic. Take a look at the place the Ryzen 9 5900X is simply 18% sooner – however that is a big lead.
The most important story right here is the numerous bounce in single-core efficiency, facilitated by ground-up redesign within the Zen Three structure. Within the Cinebench R20 single-core, take a look at the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X scores 618 factors, up from the 518 scored by the Ryzen 9 3900X, a 19% gen-on-gen improve. The Intel Core i9-10900Ok scores 522 factors on this look, 18% slower than AMD.
That story repeats all through all of our artificial single-core exams. The Intel Core i9-10900Ok is 21% slower in Cinebench R15 single-core, 9% slower in GeekBench Four, and 12% slower GeekBench 5.
AMD has lastly claimed the single-core efficiency crown from Intel. That is closely mirrored in the benchmarking software program; however, extra spectacular is mirrored in uncooked gaming efficiency. With Zen 3, AMD got down to create one of the best processors for gaming, and in each take a look at what we have run; Group Crimson has completely hit that focus on.
Much more importantly, this marks one of many greatest generational enhancements we have ever seen in processors. Intel has included small will increase with every technology. However, the Ryzen 9 5900X smashes previous to the Ryzen 9 3900X. In reality, whereas we’d usually advise that folk do not improve their processor after only a single technology – and nonetheless largely maintain that opinion – there is a real case to be made to improve to the 5900X from the 3900X, particularly if gaming is a giant portion of what you do together with your PC.
That is very true when you think about the huge generational leaps skilled in one of the best graphics playing cards. If you take a look at how the RTX 3080 behaves at 1080p and 1440p, you want a powerful gaming CPU to pair with it – the Ryzen 9 5900X would make a superb gaming companion.
