The first processor to use a 3D V-Cache technology was announced at the big AMD CES 2022 keynote. The tech was first announced at Computex 2021, and fans have been eagerly awaiting a processor that will put it to use.

　　That processor is the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which seems like a strange place to start a new range of processors. AMD has its Ryzen 9 chips, after all. That’s because the new Ryzen 7 can outclass AMD’s Ryzen 9 5900X while gaming, despite using the same architecture.

　　Image used with permission by copyright holderIt’s the “world’s fastest gaming processor,” according to AMD. Over the Ryzen 9 5900X, AMD says the Ryzen 5800X3D can deliver up to a 15% improvement in games at 1080p. That advantage shrinks at higher resolutions, but it’s still impressive to see performance gains out of the same chip that launched in 2020.

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　　Well, almost the same chip. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D still comes with eight Zen 3 cores and 16 threads, as well as 32MB of L3 cache. It’s slower on the clock speed, with a base clock of 3.4GHz and a boost clock of 4.5GHz.

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　　The secret sauce lies in AMD’s 3D V-Cache. It works by stacking cache on top of the chip, which allows AMD to add an additional 64MB of cache to the processor. That leads to an improvement over AMD’s current lineup, but also a lead over Intel.

　　AMD showcased benchmarks against Intel’s Core i9-12900K, which we crowned as the best gaming CPU when it launched. The improvements are minor, with the Ryzen chip matching the Core i9-12900K in the majority of games. But the Ryzen 7 5800X3D should come in at a cheaper price.

　　All of these numbers come from AMD, so it’s important to treat them with skepticism and wait for third-party validation. Still, it’s a hopeful sign that AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology has legs.

　　Although the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is a new processor, it’s not built for a new platform. It still works with socket AM4 motherboards, either sporting a 400-series or 500-series chipset. It comes with the same 105W power draw as the Ryzen 7 5800X, which will go up if you plan on overclocking.

　　AMD says the processor will release in the spring, though didn’t provide a specific time frame beyond that. We’re still waiting on pricing details, as well. We suspect the processor will be more expensive than the Ryzen 7 5800X, but not as expensive as the Ryzen 9 5900X. AMD hasn’t confirmed anything as of yet, though.