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If you're looking for the fastest gaming CPU on the market, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D should be at the top of your shopping list. Based on AMD's Zen 4 architecture, this powerful processor uses 96MB of L3 cache to hold more data closer to the CPU, allowing it to deliver higher frame rates than any other chip, even its own, more-expensive siblings.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D only came out a few months ago and has not gone on any kind of sale since, but right now, B&H Photo has it for $419 after it automatically applies a $19 coupon. That's not a huge savings, but it brings the 7800X3D to its lowest-ever price.
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU: now $419 at B&H Photo (was $439)
The fastest gaming CPU that money can buy, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has 8 cores, 16 threads and a maximum boost clock of 5 GHz. But what really sets this chip apart is its 96MB of L3 cache, which allows it to beat of Intel's processors.
When we tested the Ryzen 7 7800X3D at 1440p resolution across our suite of games, it averaged an impressive 213 fps, besting the Ryzen 9 7950X3D and Ryzen 9 7900X3D by several frames per second, even though both of those CPUs have a slightly-larger cache and higher boost clocks. The higher core count and the need for a second CCD probably explain the 7800X3D's slight advantage.
All of AMD's 7000X3D chips make mincemeat out of Intel's 13th Gen Core chips. The Intel Core i9-13900K, which costs about $140 more, is 6.6 percent slower on average.
(Image credit: Tom's Hardware)
If you do a lot of heavily-threaded productivity work, you might want to consider the Ryzen 9 7950X3D or Ryzen 9 7900X3D. Though they came up a little slower on gaming, they have more cores and threads and higher boost clocks.
And, if you find the 7800X3D is too expensive at $419, the last-gen Ryzen 7 5800X3D is still better than most of Intel's chips. Here's a breakdown of all of AMD's chips with 3D v-cache. All of them are on sale as of publication time.
Avram Piltch is Managing Editor: Special Projects. When he's not playing with the latest gadgets at work or putting on VR helmets at trade shows, you'll find him rooting his phone, taking apart his PC, or coding plugins. With his technical knowledge and passion for testing, Avram developed many real-world benchmarks, including our laptop battery test.
