AMD’s new 12-core, $499 processor is a pretty big deal

Nowadays, most computer users don’t need to worry about the exact specifications of the chips running in their machines — a mid-range processor will run the majority of common tasks without issues. 

But every once in a while comes a processor that promises to make everyday computers far more powerful without breaking the bank. AMD’s new Ryzen 9 3900X, launched at Computex trade show on Sunday, is one such processor. 

The Ryzen 9 3900X is a 12-core, desktop processor built on AMD’s 7-nanometer architecture, that performs a little better (according to AMD) than Intel’s top-of-the-line Core i9-9920X processor. Despite the performance boost, AMD’s chip has a better power efficiency than Intel’s offering, with a 105W TDP (thermal design power), compared to Intel’s 165W TDP. 

But the biggest deal here is the price: Compared to Core i9-9920X, which costs roughly $1,200, the Ryzen 9 3900X is an absolute bargain at $499. 

Of course, AMD’s performance numbers (in one example, the company says the 3900X beats the i9-9920X by 16% in a Blender render) will be tested by independent experts in following months, and surely Intel will have something to say about them as well. But the 3900X still sounds almost too good to be true. 

To be clear: The Ryzen 9 3900X is a gaming-oriented desktop processor, and as such will be primarily interesting to users pushing the FPS counts on latest games. But again, at that price point, it will surely make its way into configurations of many power users and enthusiasts who are looking for a powerful machine without spending gaming-desktop-dollars on it.

On Sunday, AMD also introduced several cheaper chips, including the $399 8-core Ryzen 7 3800X and the $329 Ryzen 7 3700X (which has an astoundingly low 65W TDP). All three chips are based on AMD’s new Zen 2 architecture, which should perform 15% better than the previous iteration of the tech. Given the Ryzen 9 3900X’s low price, users aiming for maximum performance will likely go for the top chip, while those looking for a performer that’s less power-hungry will probably choose the 3700X. 

AMD’s new processors will become available on July 7.