We expect that the upcoming 9900X will be a popular choice for heavy productivity workflows, or any other high-end users. It is second in command to the flagship 9950X and should get a similar release time to the rest of the 9000 series. Regardless, we can tell you all about the Ryzen 9 9900X release date, specs, and price as we count down the days till launch. It was officially announced at Computex recently and represents the move up to Zen 5 architecture.
If you’re looking to get this desktop processor as soon as possible, you may want to check out our dedicated where-to-buy AMD Ryzen 9000 series CPUs guide. In the meantime, we can explain everything we know so far about this powerful chip.
Ryzen 9 9900X release date window confirmed
Just like the rest of the series, the 9900X was announced by AMD at Computex. They kicked off proceedings with the opening keynote on June 3rd. Even though an exact date wasn’t revealed, we now know that the Ryzen 9 9900X will be available sometime in July 2024. We don’t expect any deviation from that plan, so they should be available to buy before the end of the month.
Alongside the launch window, AMD also revealed a number of key specs related to this enthusiast CPU which we’ll get into just below.
Ryzen 9 9900X specs
During Computex, AMD provided a rundown on some of the key specs. You’ll notice that it features the same cores and threads as the previous-gen 7900X, that we’ve reviewed, and the same boost clock speed. However, the chip has been optimized to work more efficiently on a lower 120W TDP, down from 170W (which the 9950X will still hold). Before we can get the 9900X in our testing lab for a review of performance, we can source some further information from the AMD website.
| Specifications | Details |
|---|---|
| Cores | 12 |
| Threads | 24 |
| Base clock | 4.4 GHz |
| Max boost clock | 5.6 GHz |
| Cache | 768KB (L1) / 12MB (L2) / 64MB (L3) |
| TDP | 120W |
| Architecture | Zen 5 |
| Socket | AM5 |
| Unlocked for overclocking? | Yes |
Ryzen 9 9900X price estimate
For now, we’ll have to estimate the price of the 9900X since this is one detail AMD left out from their presentation. Luckily, we can look back at previous generations to make an educated estimation.
Back in the 7000 series, the 7900X launched at $549, providing decent value compared to the highly-priced flagship. In the 5000 series, the 5900X also cost $549. With this is mind, we don’t expect AMD to shake up the pricing too much, so we can estimate the 9990X will also cost $549.
Do I need to upgrade my motherboard for Ryzen 9 9900X?
If you’re already using an AM5 motherboard, then no, you won’t need to upgrade. A BIOS update will suffice once the time comes to upgrade your CPU. If you’re instead using AM4, you’ll need to switch out your board for a newer model that supports the AM5 socket.
Just like they did with AM4, AMD plans on committing to socket longevity with the latest platform, so upgrading to the 9000 series is a good future-proof move. The 800 series should be available shortly after the 9900X is available, with X870 & X870E motherboards on the horizon.
Should I get the 9900X or wait for 9000X3D?
Sitting just below the 9950X, the Ryzen 9 9900X is still a fantastic choice of CPU for multitasking. With 12 cores and 24 threads, it is a strong choice for productivity and gaming alike. On the other hand, if you already have an X3D model for gaming as a priority, you’re perhaps best off waiting for 9000X3D to arrive – the release date for this remains unknown for the time being.
Even AMD recently said that 7000X3D remains ‘king of the hill’ for gaming right now, but the 9900X will be the better choice for productivity workloads thanks to the higher number of cores compared to something like the popular 7800X3D.
