AMD Might Re-Spec Ryzen 7 9700X “Zen 5” CPU With Higher 120W TDP To Outpace Its 7800X3D Chip

AMD might be working on a re-spec of one of the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" CPUs it introduced at Computex, the Ryzen 7 9700X.

Back at Computex 2024, AMD introduced four Ryzen 9000 CPUs based on the Zen 5 architecture. One of these chips was the Ryzen 7 9700X which is an 8-core and 16-thread part that aims to be a popular option for gamers. However, it looks like given the success and popularity of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, a 3D V-Cache boosted part, AMD might rethink its strategy with this chip.

Based on the information we have learned, AMD has updated its partners with a possible spec change for the 8-core part. It's being said that the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X might get a TDP of 120W which is almost 2x its current and official figure of 65W. The chip features 8 cores, 16 threads, a base clock of 3.8 GHz, a boost clock of 5.5 GHz, 40 MB of cache, and is 100 MHz faster than AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X based on the Zen 4 core architecture.

The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X CPU does feature a -700 MHz clock speed reduction when it comes to base clocks so it might be possible that AMD might be revaluating the CPU with a higher TDP to increase base, boost, or both clock speeds. The information also comes right after recent statements by the red team that suggest that the existing Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs, such as the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, are still the king in gaming performance.

While the performance of the Ryzen 9000 CPUs will be close to the Ryzen 7000X3D parts this time around, the Ryzen 7000X3D chips will still have the edge plus their added value with the recent discounts might make them the better buying option. So a TDP adjustment and slightly higher clocks can lead to the Ryzen 7 9700X being a better solution and the area where Zen 5 would shine is the multi-threaded performance.

Now we have learned that this spec is under evaluation but given how close we are to the launch, it may or may not arrive as the final spec. It could also be possible that the spec can appear as a future SKU like those refreshed "XT" parts which AMD is known to offer a few years after the initial launch.