Ryzen 7 9800x3D vs Core Ultra 7 265k: Which is best for you?

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D introduces architectural changes, placing its L3 cache below the core complex die for improved thermal contact, allowing for higher clock speeds. While it shows gains over its predecessor in gaming, particularly in titles like Modern Warfare 3 and Boulders Gate 3, its multi-core performance trails behind the competition. In creative applications, it offers an uplift over the 7800X3D, yet the Intel Core Ultra 265K, after microcode updates, narrows the gap significantly, even surpassing the 9800X3D in Adobe Premiere Pro.

Despite boasting better gaming performance, the 9800X3D's performance-per-watt has decreased compared to the 7800X3D and the 265K. The new chip averages higher temperatures during gaming and consumes more power than its predecessor. The decision between the 9800X3D and the 265K hinges on priorities: the 9800X3D excels in gaming, while the 265K demonstrates stronger multi-core capabilities and time savings in production applications.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on individual needs, with the 9800X3D positioned as a top-tier gaming CPU that also handles content creation, and the 265K as a compelling option for those needing robust multi-core performance. The 7800X3D remains a strong contender, especially if its price drops further, offering good value for gaming-focused builds.

• The Ryzen 7 9800X3D features a new Zen 5 architecture with its L3 cache positioned below the core complex die, improving heat dissipation and enabling higher clock speeds.
• In gaming, the 9800X3D shows an average 10% gain over the 7800X3D at 1080p and a 9% gain at 4K, but its multi-core performance lags behind the Intel Core Ultra 265K.
• Creative application performance sees an uplift with the 9800X3D over the 7800X3D, though the 265K, post-update, shows competitive gains, even surpassing the 9800X3D in Adobe Premiere Pro.
• Performance per watt for the 9800X3D has decreased, with it drawing more power and running warmer on average than the 7800X3D during load, while the 265K runs cooler.
• The recommendation depends on user priorities: the 9800X3D is for high-end gaming, the 265K for strong multi-core and production tasks, and the 7800X3D remains a viable option for budget-conscious gaming builds.

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Ryzen 7 9800X3D: Pricing and Platform Considerations [01:08]

• The Intel Core Ultra 265K launched around $400, with actual prices sometimes being $10 higher.
• The Ryzen 7 7800X3D's price has fluctuated, seen as low as just under $480, with expectations of price drops due to the 9800X3D release.
• The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has an MSRP of $479 at launch, though actual retail availability at this price is uncertain.
• Building with Intel's Core Ultra platform requires a new Z890 motherboard and potentially DDR5 RAM if upgrading from older platforms.
• AMD's AM5 platform offers a broader range of motherboard options (X670, B650 series) that support the 9800X3D with a BIOS update.
• The price difference between Z890 and AMD's X/B series motherboards is minimal, making platform cost less of a deciding factor.

The newly released Core Ultra 265K was listed for around $400.

Architectural Innovations of the 9800X3D [02:42]

• The 9800X3D is built on AMD's Zen 5 architecture, which on release, showed cooler and more power-conscious performance than the 7000 series.
• It is an 8-core, 16-thread CPU with a higher base clock than the 9700X and 7800X3D, matching the 7800X3D's 120W TDP.
• A key innovation is the reorientation of the L3 cache, now placed below the core complex die instead of stacked on top.
• This design change allows for better contact between cores and cache, and cores and the integrated heat spreader (IHS), leading to improved cooling.
• Improved cooling allows cores to run faster and harder without impacting the cache's thermal sensitivity.
• This translates to a 900 MHz faster base clock than the 9700X and a boost clock that is only 300 MHz shy of its max, despite a nearly doubled TDP in default socket power.

Now the Big Challenge here that these X3D processors face is actually heat and that awesome 3D V-Cache is actually a bit sensitive to heat in general.

Performance Benchmarks: Cinebench and CPU-Z [05:09]

• In Cinebench single-core performance, the 9800X3D was stronger than the 7800X3D and outperformed the 265K by approximately 28%.
• For multi-core performance in Cinebench, the 9800X3D offered a 27% lead over the 7800X3D but did not close the gap with the 265K.
• CPU-Z single-thread performance showed a 15% lead for the 9800X3D over the 7800X3D.
• CPU-Z multi-core performance revealed a 19% lead for the 9800X3D over the 7800X3D, but it still couldn't match the 265K's power.

The single core performance of the 9800X3D was not only stronger than the 7800X3D but it overshadowed the 265K by about 28%.

Power Consumption and Performance Per Watt [05:51]

• Under load in Cinebench, the 9800X3D averaged 80°C while drawing approximately 147 Watts.
• This was, on average, 3°C warmer and drew more power than the 7800X3D.
• The 265K ran 7°C cooler at 73°C, drawing just over 179 Watts.
• In a rudimentary performance per watt calculation (average score divided by average wattage), the 9800X3D scored 156, falling behind its predecessor (211) and the 265K (193).

If AMD is still looking for leadership here, it's lost a lot of ground.

Real-World Performance: PugetBench for Creative Apps [06:44]

• Initial tests showed the Core Ultra 7 falling behind the 9800X3D by 8% in Adobe Premiere and 39% in Adobe Photoshop.
• After a microcode update on the Intel side, the 265K narrowed the Photoshop gap to 24% and, in Premiere Pro, went from trailing by 7% to leading by 11%.
• These results indicate that performance can change significantly after launch, with the 265K improving post-release.
• The 9800X3D shows impressive generational uplift in capabilities outside of pure gaming, indicating it's no longer just a gaming-focused processor.

Things can change dramatically after launch, like good soup needing a little bit more time to simmer.

Gaming Performance: 1080p, 1440p, and 4K [08:05]

• At 1080p, the 9800X3D showed an average 10% gain over the 7800X3D in gaming, with significant improvements in Modern Warfare 3, Fortnite, and Boulders Gate 3.
• The 265K fell 22% on average behind the 9800X3D at 1080p.
• At 1440p, the 9800X3D maintained a lead, though the margin with the 7800X3D narrowed slightly.
• The 265K trailed by approximately 19% behind the 9800X3D at 1440p.
• At 4K, the 9800X3D was around 9% better than the 7800X3D on average, while the 265K fell behind by a little under 13% in 4K.
• Certain titles like World of Warcraft, Assassin's Creed Mirage, and Cyberpunk 2077 showed less significant gains or were unfazed by the 9800X3D compared to its predecessor.

If you were hoping for less of an AMD lead bloodbath here, you're looking in the wrong place.

Gaming Thermals and Wattage [09:41]

• During gaming, the 9800X3D averaged 50°C, which was 3°C warmer than the 265K but 10°C cooler than the 7800X3D.
• The 9800X3D averaged about 4 Watts more than its predecessor, placing it closer to the Core Ultra 7 at just under 59 Watts.

the 9800X3D averaged 50° Celsius during gaming which was 3° warmer than the 265K and a whole 10° cooler than the 7800X3D.

Overall Recommendations and Value [09:59]

• For gaming, the 9800X3D is considered a top-tier upgrade, even for users on Ryzen 7000 or 14th Gen Intel platforms.
• It also shows improvements in applications like Photoshop and Premiere, making it a solid pick for gaming content creators.
• The 9800X3D's lower gaming thermals and modest wattage increase offer potential for small form factor builds and overclocking.
• However, some titles did not see significant improvements, and for CPU-heavy multi-threading applications, the Core Ultra 7 still leads by a margin.
• For those upgrading from older platforms (10th Gen Intel or older Ryzen) with gaming as the highest priority, the 9800X3D is recommended.
• For current AM5 users wanting to boost gaming frame rates, the 9800X3D is suitable, especially for budget builds below the 7700X.
• The value proposition of upgrading from a 7800X3D to the 9800X3D depends on whether the 7-10% gaming uplift, 11-15% creator uplift, and over 20% multi-threaded uplift are worth the cost.
• For those prioritizing multi-core performance for gaming and beyond, the 265K is a compelling choice, offering good gaming performance and significant time savings in applications like Premiere Pro.
• All three processors have strengths: AMD excels in gaming, Intel in multi-core, and both new additions show generational leaps in thermals.

If you're starting from zero and you're buying or building a PC today for gaming, streaming, video editing, the 9800X3D is the current best-in-class CPU for gaming that can get the job done for content creation as well.