AMD Ryzen 9 3900X and Ryzen 7 3700X Review: Zen 2 and 7nm Unleashed

[harlan4096]

Our Verdict

The Ryzen 9 3900X redefines our expectations for the mainstream desktop with 12 cores and 24 threads for roughly the same price as Intel’s eight-core Core i9-9900K. The extra cores deliver big gains in heavily threaded applications, and the improved architecture offers great gaming performance, too, making for an incredibly well-rounded processor. Support for the PCIe 4.0 interface is the cherry on top.

For

Support for PCIe 4.0
Bundled cooler
Unlocked multiplier
Compatible with X470 motherboards
Indium solder

Against

Requires expensive X570 motherboards for PCIe 4.0 support
Limited overclocking headroom

MD's launch of the Ryzen 3000 series processors marks an occasion that was nearly unthinkable a few short years ago: AMD has taken the process lead over Intel by fielding new 7nm processors that contain smaller and more densely-packed transistors than Intel's competing 14nm chips. The advantages of increased density come in the form of higher performance, better power efficiency, more cores, and more cache packed into a smaller area than the first-gen Ryzen models, all of which makes third-gen Ryzen a potent adversary for Intel both on the desktop and in the data center.

AMD paved the way for the 'Matisse' Ryzen 3000 series several years ago when it unveiled the revolutionary chiplet-based Zen microarchitecture. At the time, AMD laid out a roadmap that included a steady cadence of tick-tock-like updates interspersed with new revisions of the scalable microarchitecture. After the company's sophomore effort with the second-gen Ryzen processors, which featured a faster process paired with the same first-gen Zen design, the company is plowing forward with its Zen 2 architecture that AMD says offers up to 15% more instructions per cycle (IPC). Paired with the advantages of the 7nm process and more cores, not to mention AMD's trailblazing of the PCIe 4.0 interface on desktop platforms, the Ryzen 3000 chips promise an explosive step forward in performance.

AMD's first chips to come packing TSMC's 7nm process span the entire range of the mainstream desktop stack, but push core counts up from eight cores to 12 cores and 24 threads with the Ryzen 9 3900X we have in the lab today, upsetting the status quo and bringing mainstream platforms into what used to be the realm of the pricey high end desktop. If you're looking for something even beefier, AMD also recently released the 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X, which has taken our best CPU list by storm.

Aside from those halo parts, AMD also has plenty of models that address the bulk of casual users, gamers, and enthusiasts, like the eight-core 16-thread Ryzen 7 3700X we also have in the lab, and a lineup of six-core 12-thread Ryzen 5 models. The Ryzen 7 3700X is particularly impressive with its combination of price and performance putting it squarely among the best gaming CPUs.

AMD is staying true to its enthusiast-friendly roots: Although you can pair the Ryzen 3000 chips with the new X570 chipset, they are also backward compatible with most AM4 socket motherboards. All of the models also come with beefy stock coolers, solder thermal interface material between the heat spreader and die to improve thermal transfer, and unlocked multipliers for easy overclocking. AMD even added support for auto-overclocking for mainstream processors. Pair that with the lower per-core pricing and the debut of the PCIe 4.0 interface for the desktop, and the Ryzen 3000 series appears to be a potent force.

AMD's ability to deliver on its optimistic roadmap in the waning light of Moore's Law is truly impressive, especially as we have become accustomed to never-ending cadences of incremental updates. But at the end of the day it all boils down to real-world performance. Let's see what the Ryzen 3000 series has in store.
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