AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Review

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is one of AMD's high-end Desktop processors. It was released in 2022 with 8 cores and 16 threads. With base clock at 3.4GHz, max speed at 4.5GHz, and a 105W power rating. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D is based on the Vermeer 7nm family and is part of the Ryzen 7 series.

Ryzen 7 5800X3D is also the successor of AMD's last gen Ryzen 7 3700X processor that was based on the Zen 2 and 7nm process and was released in 2019.

Speaking of which, if you want a high-end desktop (HEDT) 16-core processor that can compete with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, you’re going to have to drop quite a bit more cash and get something like the $589.99 Intel Core i9-12900K. And, even if you do go with this Intel chip, you won’t necessarily end up with the same level of performance.

Increased IPC improvements, along with the massive turbo boost of 4.5GHz mean that even in single core performance – long a weak link of AMD’s processors – comes within reaching distance of rival chips.

One thing that the switch to 7nm silicon has allowed for however, is an increase in cache size. AMD is now describing its L3 and L2 cache in a combined spec of 512K (per core) and 96MB (shared). But, because the 7nm CPU cores are contained within their own chiplets, AMD was able to pack much more in – with a whopping 512K (per core) and 96MB (shared). This is a really big deal, as it allows for much faster performance, especially when you’re shooting for high framerates in 1080p games, and will be especially effective in old esports titles like Counter Strike: Global Offensive.

Finally, the shrink down to 7nm allows for much better energy efficiency. Because of the Zen 3 (Vermeer) architecture, AMD Ryzen 7 4 Generation processors like the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and Ryzen 7 5700X should be up to 58% more efficient than comparable Intel processors. This isn’t the most noteworthy feature here, but, hey, it should translate to lower electricity bills, and in today’s economy every little bit helps, right?

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is an absolute behemoth of a processor, as it absolutely should be with its 8 cores, 16 threads and high price tag. If you’re looking for the absolute best processor money can buy on a mainstream processor, then look no further. Whether you’re playing PC games or even doing hardcore video and 3D work, the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D can handle them with ease.

However, you should be aware that there are some workloads where the Core i7-12700K will still perform a little better. Old games that are completely single threaded, like World of Warcraft, will still run better on an Intel processor – but that gap is definitely starting to narrow.

Over the last couple years, AMD has been reaching for dominance in the desktop CPU world, and with the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, it's finally there.

AMD's Zen 3 (Vermeer) series has landed, upping the ante with Intel in its high-stakes game for desktop PC market dominance with a well-rounded lineup of new chips that push mainstream platforms to higher core counts and more raw compute than we've ever seen. As a result, Intel's commanding presence in the enthusiast space is threatened in a way we haven't seen in over a decade.

That something is the Ryzen 7 5800X3D. AMD cranks the TDP dial up to 105W on this 8-core 16-thread chip, making it the high-performance counterpart to the 65W Ryzen 7 5700X, which is basically the same 7nm chip built with the Zen 3 (Vermeer) microarchitecture, but with a lower TDP rating. That chip came away from our first look at the Zen 3 (Vermeer) series with an Editor's Choice award, going toe-to-toe with Intel's Core i7-12700K, so it's fair to say we have high hopes for the higher-performance model. AMD still hasn't sampled the chip to the press, so we bought one at retail to put it under the microscope.

As we've seen, gaming remains an advantage for Intel, so if squeezing out every last frame is all you care about, Intel's processors are a good choice. Much of that performance advantage will be less noticeable when gaming at higher resolutions, or if you pair the processors with a lesser graphics card.

Value seekers who aren't afraid to press the Precision Boost Overdrive button and have sufficient cooling should look to the Ryzen 7 5700X for roughly equivalent performance to the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, particularly if gaming factors heavily into the buying decision. That could save you money, reinforcing our decision to give the Ryzen 7 5700X an Editor's Choice award.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D, like the rest of AMD's Vermeer processors, is built on a 7nm manufacturing node – the smallest in a commercially available CPU. What this means for most people is lower power consumption and much improved performance at the same time.

What this all means is that the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D is an absolute beast when it comes to multi-threaded workloads, especially at this price point. If you're counting on doing some video editing or compiling one hell of an Excel spreadsheet, you're going to see firsthand a performance boost with the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.

Bear in mind, however, that if you already have something like the Ryzen 7 3700X, this generation doesn't offer the biggest boost in performance. You might want to wait another year or so before dropping a few hundred bucks, or even opt to splurge on a higher-end but pricier chip.

If you're mostly playing games on your PC, you will be happy buying either processor. Both proved to be solid options and are evenly matched with a slight advantage to the Intel chip if you don't tune up the Core i7 processor. The base performance we showed for the Ryzen 7 5800X3D can be achieved with $90 memory, while the Core i7-12700K will require $110 - $120 memory in order to enable the frame rates shown here. It’s not a big cost difference and right now with anything less than an RTX 2070 or Vega 64 you’ll more than likely become GPU limited.

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D seems to be a decent performing chip that is readily available for $449.99 at your favorite retailer. The main competition for this processor is the Core i7-12700K 12-Core unlocked desktop processor with UHD Graphics 770 graphics ($469.99 shipped).

Now the biggest question is can AMD’s Ryzen 7 processor play games? The answer is simply yes as it got a respectable gaming score of 97% in our benchmarks.

Regardless of those external factors, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D proves it has the chops to be your main gaming system and a just as effective media creation platform – two things that are becoming intrinsically connected in this age of live-streaming, eSports and uploading gameplay videos.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D clocks up to 4.5Ghz just as it promises on the box, and with AMD’s software you can take one of the cores all the way up to 4.6GHz. However, don’t expect to get much beyond that without seriously upgrading your cooling solution and manually tweaking voltages behind the operating system level.

That said, to squeeze out all the potential of this surprisingly potent high-end chip, you’ll want (and need) to splurge on an enthusiast-grade X470, B550, X570 motherboard.

Fresh from a successful roll-out of mainstream Ryzen 7 CPUs, AMD's attack on Intel now extends down into the high-end with its Ryzen 7 5800X3D processors, which the company is making available as of Apr 20th, 2022.

Although there is an unlocked Core i9-12900K at the top of Intel's Core i7 family, it isn't particularly popular. The chip is relatively expensive, and it unfortunately requires a pricey motherboard for overclocking support. In comparison, AMD lets you overclock Ryzen 7 on cheaper platforms.

Like all other Vermeer chips, the Ryzen 7-series CPUs drop into any Socket AM4 motherboard. But most will find a home on boards equipped with the B450 chipset, which has provisions for overclocking and offers plenty of connectivity options. Unlike Intel, AMD plans to utilize its current socket until 2023, so upgrading to future models shouldn't require a new motherboard.