What just happened? AMD has just "announced" that at least one Ryzen 9000X3D processor will be available in a few weeks on November 7. However, this is more a teaser, likely aimed at stealing some of the thunder from Intel's Arrow Lake launch this week as AMD hasn't provided specifications, pricing, performance claims, or even confirmed the CPU's name or model.
If you were hoping to learn more about Zen 5 X3D parts, I'm sorry to disappoint. But we'll walk you through the few details we have and the potential reasons for this kind of soft announcement.
AMD shared a single slide about this launch as shown above. That's it – everything we know is on this one slide, which AMD described as a teaser. Aside from the November release date, the slide provides no additional details.
The CPU in question is most likely the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, though we can't be certain. It could be the 9700X3D or something else entirely. However, based on various sources over the last few months, the 9800X3D was expected to launch in early November, with higher-core models potentially arriving a couple of months later, possibly in early 2025. This announcement aligns with our expectations for the 9800X3D's release timing.
There's no point speculating on the specifications because we simply don't know. AMD also hasn't provided any pricing information, which I suspect will be revealed closer to the release date to coincide with reviews.
One trend we've noticed over the past few months is that the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has become more expensive and harder to find. Pricing and availability were stable around $360 to $370 until late August, but since then, the price has gradually increased, and it's now unavailable at many retailers. In my opinion, this is a calculated move by AMD to discontinue the 7800X3D and clear the market for the 9800X3D. The last thing AMD wants is for the 7800X3D to compete with the new model, potentially offering better value and leading to negative comparisons for the Zen 5 version. If the old model is unavailable, the choice becomes simpler for consumers.
This leads us to believe that AMD may price the 9800X3D similarly to the 7800X3D, rather than pursuing a value strategy. Again, this is not confirmed, but if it retains the title of the fastest gaming processor, launching at a lower price point seems unlikely.
So why has AMD chosen this announcement strategy? The first reason is obvious: to steal Intel's thunder, and second, to avoid the pitfalls they encountered with the first wave of Zen 5 CPUs.
With Intel's Arrow Lake desktop launch and reviews coming later this week, AMD wants to remind you that a successor to their top gaming CPU is on the way soon. They want to plant some doubt when you consider Arrow Lake's performance – whether it makes sense to buy an Intel CPU now or wait just a few weeks for AMD's offering.
By holding back specifics, AMD is building up anticipation for the X3D, encouraging gamers to hold off on jumping onto the Arrow Lake bandwagon. It makes sense to wait just two weeks to see what the 9800X3D brings if you're focused on gaming performance.
Additionally, AMD likely wants to avoid the mistakes made during the Zen 5 launch, where early information exaggerated the performance gains, particularly for gamers. If AMD can't deliver a notable improvement, they prefer to avoid making any misleading claims, as that would only create false expectations. Letting reviews do the talking might be the best approach in this case.
However, if the Zen 5 X3D were significantly more powerful, I would expect AMD to hype it before Intel's next-gen CPU launch. Based on what we've seen so far, I would be surprised if the performance uplift differs much from what we saw with Zen 5 versus Zen 4 CPUs, where gaming performance only improved by a few percentage points. I'm hoping for a bigger leap, but there hasn't been any strong indication of that so far.
AMD also announced new limited-time "early holiday promotional pricing" for existing Ryzen 9000 CPUs. This includes up to a $50 discount on the Ryzen 9 9950X, bringing it down to $600, and up to a $30 discount on other models. For example, the 9900X will be priced at $470, the 9700X at $330, and the 9600X at $250. However, this is not a permanent price cut but a temporary promotion aimed at countering Intel's Arrow Lake launch.
That said, these discounts aren't a drastic change from current pricing in the US retail market. The Ryzen 7 9700X had already dropped to $330 by late September, and the 9900X has been selling below MSRP for some time, even hitting $430, which is lower than the new "discounted" price. The 9600X and 9950X are likely to see the most benefit from these promotions.
That's all the information we have for now, but you can look forward to our Intel Lake-S CPU review later this week.
