AMD's pricier X3D chip drops early - worth the extra $30?
Spotted the Ryzen 7 9850X3D already on sale before its Jan 29 launch. Here's why that extra $30 over the 9800X3D might sting a bit.
Scout Team
Okay so I saw this deal and had to share, but honestly I'm not sure it's actually a deal. The Ryzen 7 9850X3D just popped up at some retailers ahead of its official January 29 launch, and AMD's asking $499 for it. That's thirty bucks more than what they charged for the 9800X3D.
Here's what bugs me about this. The 9800X3D is already an absolute monster for gaming - like, seriously overkill for most setups. And now AMD wants us to fork over an extra $30 for what's probably going to be a tiny bump in performance? I've been testing X3D chips since they first launched, and the generational improvements are getting smaller each time.
But wait, why are retailers even selling these early? Turns out some stores jumped the gun and started shipping units this week. If you're itching to grab one, you might actually find stock right now instead of fighting the usual launch day madness. Though at $499, I'd honestly wait for benchmarks.
The real question is whether that extra cash gets you anything meaningful over the 9800X3D. My gut says no - we're probably looking at single-digit performance gains in most games. For $470, the 9800X3D remains the sweet spot for high-end gaming builds in 2026. Save that thirty bucks and put it toward faster RAM or a better cooler instead.