CES 2025: AMD Takes on Intel with New X3D CPUs and RDNA 4 Graphics

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After months of speculation and rumour, AMD has finally unveiled a range of plans, including new AMD CPUs, mobile chips, and, of course, its next-generation GPU lineup.

In recent months, there have been plenty of rumours and supposed leaks about AMD, but with CES 2025 now here, we finally have confirmation of what the company has been working on. First, it seems the rumours were true: AMD is building on the success of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a real CPU, and it boasts some impressive specs.

This 16-core, 32-thread X3D processor, built on the Zen 5 architecture, is slated to offer up to 5.7 GHz max boost speeds and a staggering 144 MB total cache, built on AMD’s second-generation V-cache technology, with a TDP of 170 W. Launching alongside the Ryzen 9 9950X3D will be the Ryzen 9 9900X3D, a 12-core, 24-thread CPU that tones things down slightly with a 120 W TDP, a max boost of 5.5 GHz, and 140 MB of cache.

According to AMD’s released benchmarks, the 9950X3D appears to be a gaming powerhouse capable of matching or exceeding the performance of the 7950X3D, delivering 8 per cent faster overall average performance across the 40 games tested. AMD also claims the 9950X3D is, on average, 20 per cent faster than Intel’s latest Core Ultra 9 285K. Furthermore, AMD states the 9950X3D provides a 13 per cent performance gain compared to the 7950X3D in content creation applications—something many streamers and creators are likely to find appealing.

While these claims will need to be independently tested, AMD’s boasts suggest an exciting offering, particularly given its potential for both gaming and content creation. With the slightly less powerful 9900X3D releasing alongside it, both chips are slated to launch in Q1 2025, so we won’t have to wait long to see what these new X3D CPUs have to offer.

Also announced was AMD’s new Fire Range HX3D mobile chip line, boasting impressive specifications, particularly for mobile CPUs. Touted as the best mobile gaming and content creation CPUs, the range offers cutting-edge features. The top-tier model includes X3D architecture, 16 cores, 32 threads, a max boost of 5.4 GHz, 144 MB cache, and a TDP of just 54 W. These specifications could make it a go-to choice for enthusiasts looking for their next laptop. Slated to launch in the first half of 2025, we won’t have to wait long to see how these chips perform in real-world testing.

This brings us to what many gamers and enthusiasts have been eagerly anticipating since rumours began circulating in the summer: the new GPU architecture, RDNA 4. AMD has been hard at work, making significant advancements in both hardware and software. The big takeaway is that the new Radeon GPU range is real, skipping the 8000 series and jumping directly to the 9000 series, with the Radeon RX 9070 XT and Radeon RX 9070 both announced for a Q1 2025 launch.

These new GPUs have been rebranded to better compete with rivals and make it easier for consumers to identify the right fit for their systems. The GPUs will be available from a range of third-party partners, including Acer, ASUS, ASRock, Sapphire, XFX, PowerColor, and GIGABYTE. RDNA 4 will also debut AMD Fidelity FX Super Resolution 4, which is said to improve latency and provide better upscaling, along with AMD Adrenalin AI, which introduces a suite of generative AI features to RDNA 4 GPUs.

Finally, for gaming enthusiasts, AMD announced the new Z2 series of processors, designed to compete in the growing PC-based handheld market that has surged since the launch of the Steam Deck. These new chips offer a range of improvements, including better battery life and more power for handheld devices. The flagship Z2 Extreme features 8 cores, 16 threads, a 5.0 GHz max boost clock, 16 graphics cores, 24 MB cache, and a configurable TDP of 15–35 W. Slated for a Q1 2025 release, handheld devices equipped with these CPUs are expected to arrive early this year.

AMD has taken CES 2025 seriously, unveiling a range of new offerings that are sure to excite gamers and creators. With most of the announcements slated to launch in the coming weeks and months, we won’t have long to wait to explore what these new chips have to offer.

Keep up to date on all of CGMagazine’s CES 2025 news and announcements here!