The Granite Ridge series, aka Ryzen 9000 for desktops, represents a proper advancement over its predecessor, the Ryzen 7000 series, yet not as big of a performance bump as some expected. This new collection of processors offers a variety of enhancements, including faster processing speeds, improved energy efficiency, and as stated, proper overall performance. The gains stem from a more optimized design versus frequency range, positioning the Ryzen 9000 series as a formidable contender in the computer processor market. A highlight of the Ryzen 9000 series is its enhanced energy efficiency. These processors are designed to use less power while achieving higher performance levels. This is particularly beneficial in both everyday and professional environments where maximizing power efficiency is crucial. Additionally, this increased efficiency simplifies cooling requirements, making systems less complex and potentially more durable. The top models of the Ryzen 9000 series significantly benefit from these design enhancements. They reach higher speeds that markedly improve their performance compared to previous models, making them particularly appealing to users who need powerful computing capabilities.

We all had to wait a long time for pricing, but here you go. The pricing for the Series 9000 processors, specifically the Ryzen 9 9950X, is set at $649. We'd also like to mention the last Gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which can be purchased for just under $400 and will be the better enthusiast gaming processor at roughly $400. so if you do not need massive computing power, that remains our recommendation for a gaming CPU (until 9000X3D hits the market).  Note that the cost per core for the for the 9000 series is about $40, which is competitive. 

AMD still suggests that a memory frequency of 6000 MHz is optimal, we used two 16GB G.Skill modules rated slightly higher at 6400 MHz. While this setup offers excellent speed, it comes at a cost—approximately $125 for a 32GB kit. We tested the Hynix-enabled mode at 6000 Mhz CL30 with the TridentZ5 NEO kit. After updating to the latest BIOS, the system was quick to post. Initial boot-up includes a memory training process by the BIOS, which might take a few minutes. Switching the BIOS to EXPO of Hynix mode (if compatible), which optimizes the memory timings, requires another round of training. In terms of stability, the memory kit performed flawlessly.

The Ryzen 9 9950X is a processor rated at 170 Watts and we see its high power state reaching 200W; yeah, much like Intel's PL2 states, AMD applies a PPT of ~200, so that means your processor can utilize that wattage for a given number of seconds dictated in firmware by the motherboard manufacturer. Overall, temperatures look fine under load at 80-85 Degrees C With some decent PCS cooling. 

Overclocking

Final words

The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is a seriously fast enthusiast-class desktop CPU within the Granite Ridge product family, featuring a massive 16 Zen 5 cores (32 threads) operating at a base frequency of 4.3 GHz, with a boost frequency up to ~5.7 GHz. It includes PCIe 5.0 support and a basic integrated GPU.  The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X is beyond doubt a powerful desktop processor, frequently surpassing the Intel Core i9-14900K in multi-core benchmarks. Although the Ryzen 9 9950X is powerful for gaming, the 7000X3D series remains optimal in that regard.  The Granite Ridge processors utilize the new Zen 5 microarchitecture, similar to the Strix Point APUs. However, unlike the Strix Point series, which combines performance and efficient cores, the 9950X consists solely of performance-focused Zen 5 cores. The multi-die design of the Granite Ridge series incorporates CPU cores manufactured using a 4 nm TSMC process, whereas the Strix Point processors are based on a single-die design. Pairing the Ryzen 9 9950X with a high-end X670(E) motherboard will be an excellent choice, however, perhaps a more valuable option would be to go for the reasonably priced B650 chipset motherboards. One of the highlights of the AM5 platform is its support for PCIe Gen 5, it's worth remarking that the real-world performance benefits of PCIe Gen 5 SSDs, beyond their impressive sustained transfer speeds, may be minimal, even for Gen5.0-based NVMe SSDs. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, priced at $649, is an option that introduces users to a more advanced Zen 5 architecture and offers modest performance improvements over last-gen. For those with a smaller budget and gaming needs solely the 7800X3D at $399 provides good performance at a lower cost. Additionally, AMD's AM5 socket will support future processor upgrades until at least 2027, making it a sound investment for future system enhancements.  Overall the AMD Zen 5 processor brings notable performance improvements in the raw computing power front. During testing, no stability issues were encountered, indicating a reliable platform and processor. The 16-core design of this processor, though unique, may not appeal to all users as for most people as it is overkill for them. Content creators and professionals might find it beneficial, it certainly is a complete beast inside your PC though and comes highly recommended if you can feed it the applications it can chew its teeth in :) For the PC Gamers among us, I guess the 9000X3D announcements will be the one to wait for. We expect to see some gamescom announcements on X3D processors around August the 23rd.