AMD Ryzen 9 5950X vs AMD Ryzen 9 3950X

Processor comparisons 05-02-2023

   Let's say you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice by looking at the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X vs AMD Ryzen 9 3950X tests and understand which is better for games or simple use for rendering, machine learning, streaming, programming, video editing. Here you can find useful information from different benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special test applications like Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, 3DMark, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, Handbrake, VeraCrypt, AIDA64, Blender, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, Prime95, Dolphin Emulator, PassMark, Furmark, MATLAB, WPrime, RealBench, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Gears 5.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Death Stranding
Last Man Standing
Apex Legends
Valheim
Halo Infinite
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Overwatch
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Red Dead Redemption 2
Fallout 76
Fortnite
Borderlands 3
DOOM: Eternal
Rainbow Six Siege
Grand Theft Auto V
Watch Dogs Legion
Cyberpunk 2077
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Valorant

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to understand which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 9 3950X or AMD Ryzen 9 5950X.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Ryzen 9 5950X

64%

Ryzen 9 3950X

61%

This value shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Ryzen 9 5950X is 4% better than Ryzen 9 3950X. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Ryzen 9 5950X

60%

Ryzen 9 3950X

58%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a little game result, look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of less popular games in which processors were compared: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Monster Hunter World, Hitman 3, Half-Life: Alyx, DOTA 2A, Forza Horizon 4, Battlefield V, League of Legends (LOL), Microsoft Flight Simulator, Metro Exodus, Control, NBA 2K20, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Horizon Zero Dawn, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Ghostrunner.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	107.2	103.7
Valorant	121.9	117.9
Cyberpunk 2077	68.2	66.0
Apex Legends	114.6	110.8
Call of Duty Warzone	91.4	88.4
Overwatch	98.7	95.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	84.1	81.3
DOOM Eternal	60.9	58.9
Warzone	95.1	91.9
Assassin's Creed	102.4	99.0
Valheim	101.1	97.8

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The computers participating in the comparisons not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Ryzen 9 5950X

57%

Ryzen 9 3950X

40%

To make a finishing resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Ryzen 9 5950X is more energy efficient than the Ryzen 9 3950X since it has less power consumption: 105W vs. 105W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, it will be useful to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

If you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for programming, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, streaming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the processor uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum performance. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the software you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X	AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	277	217
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	4569	3897
Cinbench 20 Single-core	647	531
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	10428	9148
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1639	1371
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	28641	24050

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X	AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
Single-Core	3455	2718
Multi-Core	46183	39170

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X	AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
Single-Core	1814	1286
Multi-Core	18863	15407

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the processor release date and overclocking capability will be the most useful. The later the processor is released, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. If the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS even in new games. The savings are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	AMD Ryzen 9 5950X	AMD Ryzen 9 3950X
Announcement date	November 05, 2020	October 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	AM4	AM4
Core name	Vermeer	Matisse
Architecture	Zen 3	Zen 2
Generation	5	3
Turbo Frequency	4.9 MHz	4.7 MHz
Frequency	3.4 MHz	3.5 MHz
Cores	16	16
Threads	32	32
Bus rate
Bit	64	64
Lithography	7 nm	7 nm
Transistors count	9400 millions	7800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	105 W	105 W
Memory type	DDR4	DDR4
Max. Memory
Memory Frequency	3200	3200
Memory bandwidth
L1 cache		1MB
L2 cache	8MB	8MB
L3 cache	64MB	64MB
Overclocking	Yes	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number	100-000000059 100-100000059WOF	100-000000051 100-100000051WOF

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 9 3950X is 2% better than Ryzen 9 5950X in terms of CPU frequency. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 5950X is better: 25
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 9 3950X is better: 2
However, it should be understood that all the data in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought AMD Ryzen 9 5950X and AMD Ryzen 9 3950X before deciding which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• AMD Ryzen 9 5950X specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 9 3950X specs and review.