A new AMD CPU named the Ryzen 9 Pro 9965X3D has been spotted in Passmark result tables , suggesting AMD may be set to release a new Pro chip that eclipses all other existing options, Tom's Hardware reports . This 16-core CPU would presumably feature 128MB of L3 cache thanks to the additional 3D V-Cache, though its clock speed and TDP may end up slightly lower than the 9950X3D. Even then, performance is pretty close.
AMD's Pro line of CPUs tends to be slightly slower than its consumer counterparts, but with additional tweaks and software adjustments to make them more stable—the kind of platform professionals need if they don't want to spend for higher-end Threadripper options. At the time of writing, however, the best Pro chip AMD offers is the Ryzen 9 Pro 9945, which only has 12 cores and 64MB of L3 Cache. Doubling the cache and adding four more cores would make a big difference to performance.
The fastest AMD Pro CPU to date has been this 12-core, non-X3D chip.Credit: AMD
Indeed, that's what we see in this Passmark test, where its CPU Mark score was 65,111 overall and 4,614 in the single-threaded test. For contrast, that's around 7% slower than the 9950X3D's 70,201 CPU Mark Score, and 2.7% slower than the 4,743 single-threaded score. For the additional stability of Pro chips, that's probably a sacrifice worth making, especially since this chip will likely have a lower TDP (potentially as little as 65W), making it much easier to cool and manage in a professional environment.
If AMD does release this CPU, it will be the first 16-core Pro chip in its lineup. Clock speeds are still to be determined, but it's likely to be close to the 9950X3D if it can perform as well as it does.
We'll need to wait for third-party tests to confirm its performance, especially since Passmark isn't equivalent to many real-world workloads. Still, this suggests the CPU's potential is at least reasonably strong. For creative professionals who dabble in game design, this chip could be particularly useful, offering a strong mix of gaming and productivity performance, with the added stability and reduced TDP of a Pro chip.
Note: Since Tom's Hardware broke its story, the benchmark results page for the cited test has intermittently worked and been taken down.
