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- According to AMD’s driver support page for its upcoming Radeon AI Pro R9700 professional-class GPU, the Ryzen 5 9600X3D’s future existence has been confirmed.
- I expect the Ryzen 5 9600X3D to be a binned-down version of the 9800X3D with 2 cores disabled for a total of 6 cores akin to the 7600X3D.
- AMD will have to price the 9600X3D at a maximum of $275, otherwise the $215 Intel Core i5-14600K will capture the majority of the budget gaming CPU market share.
For years, AMD’s 3D V-Cache processors have been the secret weapon of PC gamers—delivering monstrous performance in games that love cache, like Cyberpunk 2077, Elden Ring, and Starfield.
But there’s always been a catch: The best X3D chips were expensive.
The Ryzen 7 5800X3D was a revelation. The 7800X3D was a masterpiece. The 9800X3D is a beast.
What’s even more appreciable is that AMD seems to have finally resolved its nightmare of handling dual CCDs (Core Chiplet Die) in top-of-the-line X3D CPUs that plagued the sales of a few victims including the king of the Zen 4 lineup, i.e., the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.
But what about budget gamers? AMD’s cheaper X3D offerings—like the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, 5700X3D, and 7600X3D—never quite took off despite impressive performance.
Limited availability, odd pricing, and stiff competition left them in the shadows.
But now, AMD is trying again—discreetly confirming the Ryzen 5 9600X3D in a driver support page for its new Radeon AI Pro R9700 GPU.
And this time? It might actually dominate the budget gaming CPU market.
Ryzen 5 9600X3D: What We Know So Far
Thanks to AMD’s driver listing leak, we can now reasonably ascertain quite a handful of details:
Specs & Expected Pricing
- 6 cores / 12 threads (likely a 8-core chiplet with 2 cores disabled, just like the 7600X3D).
- Base clock: ~4.2 GHz | Boost clock: ~5.0 GHz (estimated).
- 64MB 3D V-Cache + 32MB L3 + 6MB L2 = 102MB total cache (vs. 104MB on the 9800X3D).
- Integrated RDNA 2 iGPU (likely the same as the one in the Ryzen 5 7600X3D).
- TDP: ~105W (same as 7600X3D).
- Expected MSRP: $280-300 (in line with the 7600X3D’s MSRP of $300).
Of course, we can’t forget the fact that the 9600X3D is based on AMD’s revamped Zen 5 microarchitecture that debuted with the launch of the Ryzen 9000 Series.
Therefore, all of Zen 5’s architectural improvements will come as a standard upgrade over the preceding Zen 4-based Ryzen 5 7600X3D:
Zen 5 Architecture: A Big Leap
- ~15% IPC uplift over Zen 4 (early benchmarks show even higher gaming gains).
- Better branch prediction and larger L1/L2 caches.
- Improved power efficiency (same TDP, more performance).
Performance Expectations
According to testing conducted by Videocardz, the 7600X3D trailed by only 8% on average in comparison to its elder sibling, i.e., the 7800X3D.
Based on that performance differential, it’s safe to say that the 9600X3D might be within spitting range of the 9800X3D, making the former one of the best value-for-money gaming CPUs if AMD gets the pricing right.
The Competition: Can Anything Beat It?
1. Intel Core i5-14600K ($215)
- 14 cores (6P + 8E) / 20 threads.
- Higher multi-core performance (better for streaming/productivity).
- Slightly outdated platform (LGA 1700).
It has to be said—the Core i5-14600K offers unbeatable value for money.
It’s been the subject of steep discounts to the point where it’s now retailing globally for as low as $165 which is an absolute banger of a deal as far as I’m concerned.
With clock speeds ranging between 3.5 GHz till 5.3 GHz along with a count of 14 cores and 20 threads, the Core i5-14600K remains the best sub-$250 CPU with an iGPU (Intel UHD 770).
It doesn’t matter whether your workloads are more focused towards gaming or productivity, that’s how much of an all-rounder this CPU is.
Just keep in mind that this CPU is rated for a maximum turbo TDP of 181W, so it’s almost twice as power-hungry as the upcoming 9600X3D.
Final Verdict: The New Budget Gaming King?
If AMD prices the 9600X3D right ($250-$275) and avoids inventory management issues, it could dominate the $200-$300 gaming CPU market.
Who Should Buy It?
- Pure gamers who want the latest hardware with maximum FPS for the price.
- Efficiency-focused builders (low power, high performance).
- Future-proofers (Zen 5 + AM5 + 3D V-Cache will age beautifully).
Who Should Skip It?
- Streamers/content creators (6 cores might bottleneck).
- Productivity-focused users (non-3D Ryzen 7 or Intel i5 offerings are better).
The Bottom Line
The Ryzen 5 9600X3D might finally be the budget X3D chip that delivers—without compromises.
However, AMD needs to carefully analyse the market and decide upon the 9600X3D’s MSRP because I’ll be honest, I don’t think $300 is going to fly well with consumers this time.
Sure, the 9600X3D will have a leg up over the i5-14600K in terms of future-proofing (platform support for AM5 vs. LGA 1700) along with perhaps a slight FPS boost in gaming.
However, the latter blows the former away in productivity tasks, so the minor gaming performance differential + future-proofed platform will not be enough to justify a $85 gap.
If AMD doesn’t botch the launch with exorbitant pricing and supply-demand mismatches, this could be the best midrange gaming CPU of 2025.
Now, we wait for the actual unveiling, the official MSRP and real-world pricing, and of course, the benchmarks that will subsequently follow.
But the hype? It’s real.
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[Wiki Editor]
Ali Rashid Khan is an avid gamer, hardware enthusiast, photographer, and devoted litterateur with a period of experience spanning more than 14 years. Sporting a specialization with regards to the latest tech in flagship phones, gaming laptops, and top-of-the-line PCs, Ali is known for consistently presenting the most detailed objective perspective on all types of gaming products, ranging from the Best Motherboards, CPU Coolers, RAM kits, GPUs, and PSUs amongst numerous other peripherals. When he’s not busy writing, you’ll find Ali meddling with mechanical keyboards, indulging in vehicular racing, or professionally competing worldwide with fellow mind-sport athletes in Scrabble at an international level. Currently speaking, Ali has completed his A-Level GCEs with plans to go into either Allopathic Medicine or Business Studies, or who knows, perhaps a full-time dedicated technological journalist.
Get In Touch: alirashid@tech4gamers.com
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