CONCLUSION

   When i first checked the specifications of the new 7000 series flagship model the Ryzen 9 7950X i didn’t know quite what to expect in regards to how it’d do against the Core I9-12900K by Intel. Still, there’s a time gap of almost 1 full year between the release of those two processors and so the obvious conclusion was that AMD had in fact managed to surpass it and i was right, at least for the most part (in some benchmarks the 12900K still comes up on top). Having also used the Ryzen 9 5950X for a few days in the past i have to admit that the Ryzen 9 7950X is on a whole new level from attainable clocks (you can easily hit 700-900MHz more on each core now – top boost clock recorded purely out of curiosity was 5643MHz) to power consumption and even thermals. With electricity costs skyrocketing all over the world this model could also benefit quite a bit from the Ryzen Master software or the bios settings of your motherboard (16 cores even running at lower MHz could still surpass the previous generation in performance). Also, it may have taken them a while but AMD finally transitioned to a pin-less design for their processors making our lives much easier (you could never be too careful with their CPUs).

      The 7000 Series Zen 4 CPUs by AMD will be made widely available tomorrow and so once again i can currently only share the MSRP (manufacturer suggested retail price) for the Ryzen 9 7950X which is set at USD699/699Euros. The only drawback i can find in regards to the Ryzen 9 7950X (if i can even call it a drawback) is the imminent launch (late October) of Intel’s 13th generation of processors which includes the 24 core (16 big cores and 8 small ones) 32 thread Core I9-13900K model which should be priced for around the same amount (slightly more actually, always according to rumours). That being said based on its published specifications i do expect the Ryzen 9 7950X to easily hold its ground against it and in the end that’s all that matters if you’re a potential buyer. All said and done the Ryzen 9 7950X is a real powerhouse aimed for demanding enthusiasts and professionals and that's why it gets the Platinum Award.

PROS

- Impressive Performance (16 Cores / 32 Threads)
- Top Clocks (5600MHz+)
- EXPO DDR5 RAM (Low Latencies / Compatibility)
- Temperatures (Thermals) / Power Consumption (TDP)
- Integrated RDNA 2 Radeon Graphics
- Ryzen Master Software (Overclocking / Reduced Power Consumption)
- Pin Less Design
- AM5 Socket (Same As AM4)

CONS

- Imminent Launch Of Intel’s 13th Gen CPUs