An early engineering sample of the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X CPU has allegedly been benchmarked, sparking excitement amongst PC enthusiasts. The benchmark using AIDA64 software suggests significant performance improvements over its predecessor, the Ryzen 7950X. In one benchmark, there’s a 45% performance increase over last-gen.
We’ve been waiting for hands-on performance tests since AMD officially announced the 9000 series. The leaked results come from an AnandTech forum member who reportedly gained access to benchmark data from someone testing the Ryzen 9 9950X.
9950X leaked benchmark scores
This flagship of the 9000 series boasts 16 cores based on the new Zen 5 architecture, 32 threads, and a base clock of 4.3 GHz that can boost up to 5.7 GHz. While the boost clock remains the same as the Ryzen 7950X, the lower base clock might indicate improved efficiency, particularly in multi-threaded tasks. The benchmark focused on three key areas. First, AES, then FP32, and finally, FP64 workloads.
These tests measure encryption performance, single-precision floating-point performance, and double-precision floating-point performance, respectively. Compared to the Ryzen 7950X, the Ryzen 9 9950X reportedly achieved impressive gains of almost 2x in these areas.
In the image below, what is believed to be the 9950X is labelled ’16x Granite Ridge HT’, implying it is the 16-core model for the 9000 series, which is codenamed ‘Granite Ridge’.
| Test | Ryzen 9 9950X score | Ryzen 9 7950X score | Intel Core i9-13900K |
|---|---|---|---|
| AES | 746991 MB/s | 380473 MB/s | 294509 MB/s |
| FP32 | 110444 KRay/s | 63132 KRay/s | 34969 KRay/s |
| FP64 | 59582 KRay/s | 33612 KRay/s | 19060 KRay/s |
In the table below, we can see how the performance of the 9950X compares to models currently available on the market. According to the scores, it even outperforms a high-end Threadripper processor designed for workstations. For example, the 9950X is up to 45% faster than the 7950X in the AES benchmark.
| Test | Ryzen 9 7950X | Intel Core i9-13900K | 7975WX |
|---|---|---|---|
| AES | 45% | 55% | 11% |
| FP32 | 39% | 60% | -13% |
| FP64 | 39% | 60% | -16% |
Synthetic for now
However, it’s important to remember that these are synthetic benchmarks, and real-world application performance might not translate perfectly. Applications typically utilize various chip components beyond those measured in these specific tests.
Additionally, the benchmark focused on floating-point performance, so integer performance results could differ. Despite these limitations, the benchmark results offer a promising glimpse into the potential of the Zen 5 architecture. The significant performance uplift suggests a substantial generational leap for AMD.
It’s crucial to remember that these are early benchmarks based on engineering samples. The final retail chips could potentially deliver even better performance in the same workloads. With launch day coming next month, anticipation is high for the official unveiling of the Ryzen 9 9950X and its potential to shake up the CPU market.
