Building a high-performance computer isn’t easy, and it also tends to be an expensive task. You need to consider not only how the processor you’re about to choose handles the specific tasks you want it to run but also its acquisition price, cost of ownership, energy efficiency, and cooling requirements. AMD’s Ryzen 9 9900X aims to please many people looking to build a high-end PC, but does it deliver what this audience needs? As someone who is tired of processors that double as space heaters, and which significantly increase our energy bills, I was pretty intrigued by what Ryzen 9 9900X promises in terms of energy efficiency and cooling requirements. So, grab a coffee and let’s dig into what this new processor is all about - the good, the bad, and everything in between:

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X: Who is it good for?

This processor is ideal for you if:

• You need top-tier performance for heavy multitasking or creative workloads
• Power efficiency and thermal control are key priorities
• You’re building a brand new desktop PC and want a high-end processor

Pros and cons

These are the positive aspects of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X:

• Outstanding performance in both gaming and productivity tasks
• Excellent energy efficiency
• Temperatures should be manageable even with an air cooler
• Compared to its predecessor, its launch price is lower

There are also some downsides:

• Small performance improvements over its predecessor
• No bundled cooler, increasing the overall cost
• Older Ryzen 9 models are still available at more attractive prices

Verdict

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is an excellent choice for people building high-end desktop systems. Thanks to its twelve-core architecture and AMD’s latest Zen 5 architecture improvements, this processor offers excellent performance while consuming less power and generating less heat than its predecessors. It’s a particularly good choice for content creators who want to strike a balance between power and efficiency, but it can also be great for gamers who demand only the best. For those building a new desktop PC from scratch or those needing an upgrade from older processor generations, the Ryzen 9 9900X is a great option. However, if you’re considering upgrading from a Ryzen 9 7900X processor, the performance gains may not be as noticeable, especially in gaming scenarios. In this situation, it might be best to wait until a new generation of processors makes its mark.

Unboxing the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

The Ryzen 9 9900X comes in a minimalistic package that mirrors the design of AMD’s previous Ryzen series. The box features the Ryzen 9 branding, with a small window offering a glimpse of the processor inside.

The box of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

Inside, you’ll find the processor itself, an AMD Ryzen 9 sticker, an installation guide, and warranty documentation.

What's inside the box

The packaging is minimalistic and includes only the essentials for getting started. Keep in mind that a cooler isn’t included, so you’ll need to budget for a separate cooling solution.

Hardware specifications

At the time of writing, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a premium processor from AMD’s high-end Ryzen 9000 series, second only to the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X flagship. Just like all the other CPUs in this series, it’s based on the Zen 5 architecture, the latest and most advanced from AMD. In theory, the processors built on this architecture, including the Ryzen 9 9900X, offer a significant 16% increase in IPC (Instructions Per Clock) over Zen 4, enhancing performance at similar clock speeds. Zen 5 uses a refined 4nm manufacturing process, which not only improves power efficiency but also helps keep temperatures in check.

A closeup of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

The Ryzen 9 9900X features twelve cores and 24 threads, with a base clock of 4.4 GHz and a boost clock reaching up to 5.6 GHz. Its thermal design power (TDP) is set at a surprisingly low 120W, a considerable reduction from its predecessor’s 170W. The improvement helps with energy efficiency and thermal performance.

This processor comes with 12 cores and 24 threads

When it comes to memory, the Ryzen 9 9900X supports up to 192 GB of DDR5 RAM at a default speed of 5600 MT/s. It also has support for AMD EXPO for simplified overclocking, which means you can use much faster memory if you want to. In terms of cache, we’re looking at 960 KB of L1 cache, 12 MB of L2 cache, and 64 MB of L3 cache, plenty enough to ensure snappy performance in even the most demanding applications.

Details about the memory shown in Task Manager

The processor uses the AM5 socket, making it compatible with a wide range of motherboards based on any of the following chipsets: A620, X670E, X670, B650E, B650, X870E, and X870. It also supports PCIe 5.0, providing large bandwidth for high-speed data transfers and future-proofing your build. The processor has a total of 28 PCIe lanes, out of which 24 are usable. On top of all that, the motherboard on which you’re mounting the CPU will also give you additional lanes. Their number will differ, though, depending on the specific chipset the motherboard uses.

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X specs in CPU-Z

For graphics, the processor features integrated AMD Radeon Graphics with two cores running at 2200 MHz. This is sufficient for basic computing tasks, Full HD gaming with lower graphical details, and also for those times when you need to service your discrete graphics card. For more details regarding the technical specs of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, visit its official webpage from AMD.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a high-end desktop processor with top-notch specs. However, like other CPUs in its series, the biggest improvement over the last generation is that it requires less electricity and runs cooler. This is great, but some might be disappointed if they were hoping for bigger upgrades compared to the Ryzen 7000 series.

Using the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

Mounting the Ryzen 9 9900X in my test computer was straightforward, as you’d expect. I had no problems with motherboard compatibility, and once installed, the processor ran like a dream. The Ryzen 9 9900X handled my daily tasks with ease, providing a stable and reliable performance right from the start. This was my test computer’s configuration, in case you’re wondering:

• Motherboard: ASUS ROG Strix X670E-A Gaming WiFi
• Cooler: ASUS ROG Ryuo III 240 ARGB
• Memory: Kingston FURY Renegade 32GB DDR5 7200MT/s
• Graphics Card: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
• Storage: Kingston KC3000 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 SSD 2TB
• Monitor: ASUS ROG Strix XG32UQ (4K UHD)
• PSU: Seasonic Focus GX-1000

The PC used for testing the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

I was able to enjoy games in ultra-high graphic quality settings and run the most demanding workloads without any issues. The Ryzen 9 9900X handled everything smoothly, and the raw power of its twelve cores is evident, no matter what you do on your computer. Paired with high-speed memory and a powerful graphics card, this processor is an excellent choice for users looking for top-notch performance in all types of tasks.

Playing Ghost of Tsushima on a PC with an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

During my testing experience, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X delivered impressive power, making it an excellent option for content creators, gamers, and anyone who demands the highest levels of performance.

AMD Ryzen 9 9900X vs. Ryzen 9 7900X vs. Ryzen 7 7900X vs. Ryzen 5 9600X: Performance comparison

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is a strong performer in both creativity tasks, productivity tasks, and gaming. To confirm this, I tested it using various benchmarks. And to ensure that we get a more realistic evaluation about this processor, I compared it with four other AMD desktop processors: this CPU’s predecessor - AMD Ryzen 9 7900X, the mid-range Ryzen 7 9700X, the more affordable Ryzen 5 9600X, and the older budget option Ryzen 5 7600X.

Productivity benchmarks

In single-threaded tasks, the Ryzen 9 9900X excels, scoring 860 points in CPU-Z. This is roughly 13% more than the Ryzen 9 7900X and about 2.4% better than both the Ryzen 7 9700X and the Ryzen 5 9600X, which were launched alongside it. These results show the Ryzen 9 9900X is a top performer for workloads where single-core performance is essential.

Benchmark results in CPU-Z Single Thread

In CPU-Z’s multi-thread benchmark, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X easily defeated all the other desktop CPUs in the comparison, performing about 8.9% faster than its closest competitor, the Ryzen 9 7900X. The other processors scored much lower. This shows that the Ryzen 9 9900X is an excellent choice for modern applications that need strong multi-thread performance, fast response times, and efficient use of resources.

Benchmark results in CPU-Z Multi Thread

In the next chart, which shows the performance of processors in the Cinebench 2024 rendering test, the trends were similar. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X is much faster than the other processors in my comparison, with only the older Ryzen 9 7900X coming somewhat close. However, the Ryzen 9 9900X is still 12.36% faster. If you're a creative professional working with rendering software, the Ryzen 9 9900X is clearly a great option.

Benchmark results in Cinebench 2024

I also used Blender to test the performance of the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X. In the 4.2.0 version of the benchmark, its twelve cores and 24 threads made it 9% faster than the Ryzen 9 7900X, which came in second. The other processors, with fewer cores, were much slower. The Ryzen 9 9900X performs at least 62% to 118% better than the Ryzen 7 9700X, Ryzen 5 9600X, and Ryzen 5 7600X.

Benchmark results in Blender 4.2.0

I used the PCMark 10 benchmark to test how the CPU performs in everyday tasks like web browsing, video calls, document editing, and media creation. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X came out on top with a score of 10,603 points. However, in real-life casual use, any of these processors would work well. The performance of the Ryzen 9 9900X is only a small 0.29% higher than the one of the second-place Ryzen 7 9700X.

Benchmark results in PCMark 10

In web browsing tests with JetStream 2.2, the Ryzen 9 9900X scored 434 points, which is slightly lower than the Ryzen 7 9700X and the Ryzen 5 9600X. However, the difference is very small, about 2%. The Ryzen 9 9900X still handles browsing really well, loading websites and web apps just as fast as the other Ryzen 9000 CPUs. It’s also noticeably faster than older Ryzen processors, which are at least 7% slower.

Benchmark results in JetStream 2.2

In the 7-Zip benchmark, which is a good way to measure a CPU’s performance, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X performed exceptionally well. It compressed data at 139 MB/s, which is a bit better than what I got with the previous-gen Ryzen 9 7900X (there’s only a small 1.45% difference between them).

Benchmark results in 7-Zip Compression

The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X did well in the 7-Zip decompression speed test, finishing in second place. Its score was very close to that of its predecessor, the AMD Ryzen 9 7900X.

Benchmark results in 7-Zip Decompression

Overall, the Ryzen 9 9900X performs exceptionally well in both productivity tasks and content creation. It handles everything smoothly and efficiently. I consider that it’s one of the best choices you could make if you need a powerful processor to run demanding software.

Gaming benchmarks

For gaming, I run my tests using the 1080p resolution with low graphics settings to avoid any slowdowns from my AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT graphics card. I used a couple of demanding games: Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Remnant II, and Horizon Forbidden West. Here’s what I found:

If you want to get the best performance in Cyberpunk 2077, you need both a high-end graphics card and a powerful processor. The AMD Ryzen 9 9900X delivered more frames per second (fps) than any other processor I tested, proving to be at least 11% faster than the others. In other words, the Ryzen 9 9900X offers significant improvements in gaming, especially in games that use multiple cores well.

Benchmark results in Cyberpunk 2077

Next, I tested the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, another game that needs powerful hardware. The results from all five processors were quite similar, but the Ryzen 7000 series processors provided a few more frames per second. Even so, the Ryzen 9 9900X performed very well.

Benchmark results in Assassin's Creed Mirage

In Remnant II, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X achieved the second highest framerate, yet the results of all the processors tested were very similar.

Benchmark results in Remnant II

In Horizon Forbidden West, the Ryzen 9 9900X and the other processors performed almost equally well. They all delivered similar results, proving that none of them is a poor choice for gaming.

Benchmark results in Horizon Forbidden West

Finally, I tested the processor’s gaming performance using 3DMark, a well-known benchmark tool. The CPU Profile Max Threads test showed that the Ryzen 9 9900X is an excellent choice for gamers, as it scored the highest in my comparison. It outperformed all the other processors, thanks to its increased number of physical cores and execution threads.

Benchmark results in 3DMark CPU Profile Max Threads

The Ryzen 9 9900X is evidently a great processor for gaming, especially in games that benefit from strong multicore performance.

Temperature and power consumption

I wanted to check how hot the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X gets, so I ran Prime95. The highest temperature I recorded was 80 degrees Celsius (176 degrees Fahrenheit). This is 15 degrees Celsius lower than its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7900X, so a good air cooler should be enough to keep it cool, which comes as quite a surprise for such a powerful processor!

Peak temperatures recorded on the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

Not only does the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X generate little heat, but it also requires less power to operate. The highest power usage I measured was just 162 Watts, which is 31% lower than its predecessor and a lot lower than many competing processors from Intel. AMD Ryzen 9 9900X can help lower your electricity bills while delivering excellent performance. Plus, a power supply unit of 800W should be enough for this CPU, lowering your acquisition costs.

The highest power draw measured for AMD Ryzen 9 9900X

Just like all the other desktop processors in the Ryzen 9000 series, the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X stands out for its power efficiency and low heat output. Its power draw is lower than expected, and it doesn’t get too hot.

What’s your opinion about the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X?

Now that you have read this review and analyzed all my benchmarks, what do you think about the AMD Ryzen 9 9900X? As you’ve seen, it offers great performance for various tasks, including gaming and creative work. Moreover, its low heat and power consumption are impressive. Are you thinking about buying one? It’s clearly worth upgrading from a Ryzen 5000 processor, but are its performance improvements enough to convince you to upgrade from a Ryzen 7000 series processor? Let me know in the comments below.