The gaming CPU crown is about to get a lot more expensive. As of December 17, 2025, the highly anticipated AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D has begun appearing on major retailer databases in the US and Europe. Early listings suggest that AMD is positioning this "refresh" as a premium SKU, with pricing significantly higher than the launch of the 9800X3D.

Specifications: The 5.6 GHz Milestone

While the 9850X3D retains the familiar 8-core, 16-thread configuration of the Granite Ridge family, the main selling point is a massive jump in clock speeds. Leak-driven data confirms a 5.6 GHz Max Boost Clock, a significant 400 MHz increase over the 9800X3D.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen 7 9850X3D (Leaked)
Architecture	Zen 5	Zen 5 (B2 Stepping)
Boost Clock	5.2 GHz	5.6 GHz
L3 Cache	96 MB	96 MB (2nd Gen V-Cache)
TDP	120 W	120 W
Estimated Price	$479	$529 - $559

Performance Gains: Is it Worth the Premium?

Early PassMark benchmarks have already surfaced, showing the 9850X3D scoring roughly 5% higher in single-core performance compared to its predecessor. While 5% may seem modest, the 400 MHz frequency bump is expected to improve 1% low frame rates in CPU-bound esports titles significantly.

Wait for CES 2026?

Industry insiders suggest that these early retailer listings are placeholders for a CES 2026 launch. AMD is expected to officially unveil the 9850X3D alongside the monstrous Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, which is rumored to feature dual X3D cache stacks. If you already own a 9800X3D, this 9850X3D "refresh" may not be the leap you're looking for, but for those still on AM4 or early AM5 chips, it represents the new pinnacle of gaming performance.

Stay tuned as we continue to track availability and official confirmation from Dr. Lisa Su's upcoming keynote.