AMD’s 3D V-Cache CPUs have been atop the list of the best gaming processors ever since the 5800X3D launched in 2022. It’s no wonder that many gamers are anticipating the 9000X3D lineup, especially because the non-3D Zen 5 failed to move the needle in gaming scenarios. However, according to a new leak from a surprising source, we might not see much of a change going from the 7000X3D to the 9000X3D.
The information comes from a leaked MSI presentation that was reportedly posted by HardwareLuxx following a tour of the MSI factory. The slides appear to have been taken down, but other sources, such as VideoCardz, preserved them for all of us to see. Keep in mind that even though these look like they contain official MSI data, nothing is confirmed until the processors are out and being tested by reviewers.
MSI compared the 9000X3D lineup to its non-3D counterparts, as well as to the previous generation of CPUs. The gaming tests only included three titles, which is not a lot, but the eight-core Ryzen 9000X3D (presumably the Ryzen 7 9800X3D) was anywhere between 2% and 13% faster in these titles. Far Cry 6 showed the biggest 13% uplift, but in Black Myth: Wukong, the CPU trailed behind its predecessor with a measly 2% improvement. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D saw even smaller gains ranging from 2% to 11%.
The company also ran some Cinebench R23 tests, with both CPUs fixed at a maximum of 5.2GHz. We don’t currently know the maximum clock speeds for the 9000X3D series, but if they’re higher than that, there might be some more performance that will come to light when the CPUs are tested at their maximum frequency.
These synthetic tests comparing the chips also turned out fairly similar, with a 9% improvement in single-core for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D and a 16% boost in the multi-core test. The benchmark results look a lot better for the 9800X3D here, though, ranging from 18% to 28%. It seems that while its gaming performance might appear lackluster, the synthetic test has gone more than well. We’ve already covered these results before, and now, the leaked MSI presentation appears to be the source behind the numbers.
The biggest problem with these benchmarks might be that the difference between the Ryzen 9000X3D and the non-3D parts seems fairly subtle so far. MSI’s leaked tests show the CPUs very close together, and this includes both the eight-core and 16-core parts.
It’s too early to believe any leaked benchmarks, even though MSI is obviously a credible source, but we cannot know how these results were obtained. However, it looks like we may not see the kind of improvement we’ve seen in the 7800X3D, which was over 20% faster in gaming scenarios.
We’ll have to wait and test the chips ourselves once they’re out. The current prediction is that AMD will announce the Ryzen 9000X3D lineup on October 25, with a November 7 release date for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.