When KitGuru reviewed AMD’s Zen 5 Ryzen 7 9700X we advised that you wait until they launched the inevitable 3D version of the CPU, as we were sure it would be a banger. What we didn’t know then was that AMD had a new version of 3D V-Cache in the works that would move the dial significantly. Locating the 3D V-Cache under the CPU cores, instead of laying it on top, gives a boost to clock speeds and also helps temperatures.

Our benchmark results show the strength of a 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 CPU in day-to-day tasks and the benefits of 2nd Gen 3D V-cache, and that is before we get to gaming. It is worth noting the 3D V-cache has absolutely no downside in terms of power draw, clock speed or thermals and the only consideration is the extra cost. In gaming the benefits of 3D V-cache are quite extraordinary as this 16-core productivity monster can change mode and suddenly act like a Ryzen 7 9800X3D to deliver excellent gaming performance.

AMD has carefully chosen a niche for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D as 'The Perfect Gaming Processor' and we struggle to argue with their thinking as it is very good indeed at its job. By contrast the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is described by AMD as 'The Ultimate Processor for Gamers and Creators' and we feel that is also a fair description.

Over the past few generations of AMD Zen technology the various 12-core Ryzen 9s have sometimes done well and other times pretty much been ignored. Thankfully with Ryzen 9 9900X AMD has seen sense and prices the CPU in a rational manner. With Zen 5 the CPUs we have seen appear to be high quality and that closes the gap between the two versions of Ryzen 9 and swings us firmly in favour of the new Ryzen 9 9900X.

Intel's Core i5-14600K is another solid option for those looking for a relatively affordable CPU that still delivers excellent gaming performance. With six P-cores and twelve E-cores, it's often available below £300, and while it may not deliver much (if any) extra performance over the 13th Gen model, it's still a very solid option to have.