AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition Review

When AMD announced the Ryzen 9 9950X3D at CES 2025 we immediately demanded a version with 3D V-Cache on both chiplets, and we even suggested the name ‘Ryzen 9 Lisa Su Edition'. A full year later and we finally have the CPU that we wanted and it comes with a clanger of a name, ‘AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition‘. Let's park that thought, dive into the silicon and see what AMD has created.

Timestamps

00:00 Intro
01:03 So what is the 9950X3D2?
02:44 Cinebench 2026 behaviour
04:03 Test bench
05:41 Cinebench benchmarks
07:05 Efficiency
08:09 Synthetic tests
09:38 Gaming performance
11:19 Pricing discussion
13:51 Leo’s pros and cons

Key features

• The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is the Ultimate Processor for Developers and Creators With Latency-Sensitive Workloads
• 7% Faster RENDER Average Performance in specific applications vs. Ryzen 9 9950X3D
• Faster AI & Simulation Average Performance in specific applications vs. Ryzen 9 9950X3D
• 3% Faster Productivity Average Performance in 10+ applications vs. Ryzen 9 9950X3D
• Same Leading Gaming Performance Average FPS as the Ryzen 9 9950X3D

Testing and Performance

Test system

• CPUs: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition, AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and AMD Ryzen 9 9950X
• Motherboard: Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master X3D Ice
• RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB DDR5-6000 C28
• Graphics Card: MSI RTX 4090 Ventus 3X 24GB
• CPU cooler: Phanteks Glacier One 360D30
• SSD: 1TB Samsung 9100 Pro
• Power Supply: Antec Signature 2200

Geekbench 6 Multi Core

In Geekbench 6 Multi Core we see the mighty Threadrippers storm to the top of the chart. In third place – and the first of the regular desktop CPUs – it is the new Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition a small step ahead of the current Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

Blender 5.1 Splash Render

The Blender 5.1 Splash Render test is an intense workload that runs for over an hour on the Ryzen 7 9850X3D and still takes 11 minutes on the 64-core Threadripper 9980X. This test shows clear separation between the three Ryzen 9 9950 CPUs with the 9950X3D2 coming out on top.

SPECworkstation 4

SPECworkstation 4 runs a package of 23 benchmark tests and once again we see a healthy improvement from the new Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition over the existing 9950X3D.

Closing Thoughts

Adding a second extra slab of 3D V-Cache to the Ryzen 9 9950X3D to create the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition looks like an easy win, however things are not as straightforward as they first appear.

AMD rolled the pitch ahead of the launch of the Dual Edition and made it clear that gamers should expect very little from this processor as the second core chiplet plays a minor part in the proceedings. That is fair enough but we had high hopes that content creators would be well served by the extra 3D V-Cache, however this turned out to be rather unpredictable.

The end result is a new processor that reliably delivers higher performance thanks to its increased power draw. The Dual Edition might also deliver extra performance, depending on the specific software you are using, but that is very much a case of trial and error.

When the stars align and the processor runs suitable software it can deliver blazing performance while also delivering an impressive gaming experience, but this is certain to require extra power along with a good deal of cost.

You can buy the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition for £799.99 inc VAT from OCUK HERE.

Pros:

• Impressive all-round performance.
• Drop-in replacement for any modern AM5 motherboard.
• DDR5-6000 memory works well with 3D CPUs.

Cons:

• Very expensive.
• Increased power draw is disappointing to see.
• Finding latency-sensitive workloads that benefit from 3D V-cache is tricky.

KitGuru says: We have waited a year for the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition and have to confess we are disappointed by the end result.

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