AMD is launching an upgraded version of one of its best desktop CPUs, but I'm more excited about what this means for the other X3D models

AMD really claimed ownership in the desktop CPU market throughout 2025, repeatedly making gains over Intel in Steam hardware surveys each month. At CES 2026, the brand seems to be doubling down on its gaming PC momentum, as it's just been announced that a new variant of one of its most popular processors is set for launch.

The new processor is a souped-up version of the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D. It's called the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D, and although it shares the same architecture and central specs as the original, it ramps up the boost clock from 5.2GHz up to 5.6GHz, which puts it on par with the Ryzen 9 9900X, and actually faster than the Ryzen 9 9900X3D.

Besides that, the 9850X3D holds onto the same 8 cores and 16 threads as its predecessor. It also keeps the same 120W TDP, and doesn't change the 104MB combined L2+L3 cache.

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As impressive as this bump up in performance will be for gaming tasks, I have to admit, not an awful lot has changed to really get me excited. For the most part, this might just be enough of a performance bump to warrant a half-step product, but it does seem like a bit of an excuse to charge more for what is nearly the exact same CPU.

What excites me more about the impending arrival of the 9850X3D is the knock-on effect it'll have on the prices of the existing Ryzen 9000 Series portfolio. With a new competitor on the shelves drawing more attention, it's much more likely that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D will now see more frequent price drops, as well as potentially some deeper discounts from its $479 / $449 launch price.

Let's also remember that this adds even more value for money to any and all AM5 motherboards, because it shows that AMD is committed to supporting its platforms with new products for consumers to upgrade to. We now have the AMD Ryzen 7000 family, the initial X3D range, the Ryzen 8000G product stack, the 9000 Series, and now an even wider portfolio of Ryzen 9000 X3D options, which unlock even greater performance.

Meanwhile, Intel's first batch of desktop Core Ultra processors still doesn't seem to be gaining a lot of traction following a weak launch, and with all rumours suggesting that an even newer motherboard socket is also in the works, you can see why AMD is enjoying time in the CPU limelight.

The Ryzen 7 9850X3D will apparently be available in Q1 of 2026, but AMD has yet to share a specific launch date or price for the new CPU.

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