Buying a Ryzen 3900X in 2023? Here are 9 Reasons Why You Should

So you‘re thinking about upgrading your desktop with AMD‘s Ryzen 9 3900X CPU. As someone interested in high-end PC hardware for gaming, streaming or content creation, you likely have demanding needs from your system. Power, efficiency and future-proofing are all important considerations.

Well after nearly 3 years since its launch, the Ryzen 9 3900X continues to be an exceptional processor choice thanks to its excellent combination of well-rounded performance, value and longevity. Before exploring why this chip deserves a place in your rig, let‘s briefly examine its key specifications.

CPU Specifications

1. Excellent Performance for Both Gaming and Productivity

While its name suggests a focus on gaming, the 3900X is equally capable when it comes to creative and productivity workloads thanks to a generous core count.

Let‘s start with gaming performance. In CPU-demanding titles at 1080p, the 3900X trades blows with Intel‘s Core i9-10900K while costing considerably less. Where AMD‘s chip truly stretches its legs is high resolution gaming.

CPU Game Performance at 1440p

With a fast mid-range or higher GPU, the 3900X breezes through 1440p while avoiding any bottlenecks. Even the mighty Core i9-10900K is only 11% faster in Assassin‘s Creed Valhalla at 1440p. And that Intel processor costs nearly $150 more while lacking bundled cooling.

Now for creative workloads involving 3D modeling, video editing, code compilation etc, the performance advantage shifts completely towards AMD. More cores and threads work synergistically with fast DDR4 memory to crunch through intensive tasks faster.

Let‘s see some examples:

Content Creation Performance

The 3900X offers over 35% faster encoding in Handbrake and 64% higher Blender speed, showcasing the impact of higher core counts. Ultimately if your needs involve both gaming and creation, this Ryzen CPU is a home run choice.

2. Fantastic DDR4 Memory Support

Another area where the Ryzen 9 3900X shines is memory support. It features dual-channel DDR4 memory controllers supporting up to 3200 MHz modules officially. Thanks to AMD‘s robust Ryzen memory controller, getting your DDR4 memory to run at the Zen 2 controller‘s sweet spot of 3600 MHz CL16 is fairly easy.

Faster memory translates to smoother gaming performance and snappier application response. Going from stock 3200 MHz CL22 modules to tuned 3600 MHz CL16 DDR4 provides measurable improvements in game loading times, minimum frame rates and 1080p CPU-bound scenarios.

With memory overclocking headroom beyond 3600 MHz on the table too, you can extract even more gaming and content creation performance from this powerful Zen 2 chip.

3. Unlocked Multiplier for Easy Overclocking

Enthusiasts will be glad to know that the Ryzen 9 3900X has an unlocked ratio multiplier, making overclocking very achievable. With decent cooling and a midrange-or-better AM4 motherboard designed to handle the 3900X‘s 105W TDP, there is free extra performance left on the table.

In fact, overclocking to 4.3 GHz on all cores with appropriate voltage adjustments is reasonably possible if you get a good chip. This translates to around 12% higher multi-threaded clocks for crunching through demanding workloads quicker.

Heck even a mild overclock to 4.2 GHz is a cakewalk, so long as you have adequate cooling. This nets you 200-300 MHz over the maximum single-core boost clock for faster gaming frame rates. Who doesn‘t like free performance?

4. Efficiency from Dense 7nm Process

While the move to a smaller 7nm process from 12nm allowed AMD to extract every last drop of frequency and performance from Zen 2 cores, power efficiency is a major advantage too. Despite having 50% more cores than the 8-core 5800X, both 105W TDP chips draw surprisingly similar power across gaming and creation workloads.

Let‘s pit our Ryzen 9 chip against the Core i9-10850K with 10 physical cores on Intel‘s refined 14nm process. Here is total system power consumption while rendering a 3D scene in Blender:

Power Consumption During Blender Rendering

With 24 threads hammering away, AMD‘s Zen 2 CPU pulls over 70W less at peak load! This gives you plenty of thermal and electrical headroom for overclocking while aiding small form factor builds.

Lower power also directly translates to savings on your energy bill over the years. That alone could make up for much of the difference in purchase price compared to an equivalently performing Intel CPU.

5. Extensive AM4 Motherboard Selection

AMD‘s AM4 socket has provided exceptional longevity over four Ryzen generations, giving you an abundance of motherboard options. X570 and B550 boards in particular bring next-gen PCI Express 4.0 support, allowing your system to tap into cutting-edge SSDs and upcoming GPUs.

Well-engineered B550 motherboards like the MSI B550 Tomahawk or Gigabyte B550 Aorus Elite AX can readily handle even an overclocked 3900X thanks to robust VRMs while costing under $150. Paired with one of these affordable AM4 boards, memory and a good PSU, you will have a solid foundation for years.

Alternatively if you already own a previous-gen X470 or B450 board, dropping in a Ryzen 3000 series CPU may be an easy upgrade path saving you money. With AMD committing to maintain AM4 socket compatibility until 2020 at least and possibly longer, whatever AM4 board you choose should see you well into the future.

6. Excellent Future-Proofing

In an era where tech evolves by the month, buying hardware that will serve you well 3-4 years down the line requires careful consideration. AMD‘s forward-thinking design choices make the Ryzen 9 3900X rather future-resistant for this reason.

The shift to a leading-edge 7nm manufacturing process keeps this processor competitive in efficiency and raw muscle against newer chips, while consuming less power and enabling overclocking headroom. Integrated PCIe 4.0 support also eliminates bottlenecks for next-gen SSDs and bandwidth-hungry GPUs slated for late 2023 onwards.

These capabilities won‘t impact performance today, but as games and creative software grow more demanding, the 3900X‘s well-rounded specs ensure your investment continues giving you great service for years – something no one could say about PCs built before 2012 today. Ultimately, buying future-proof hardware gives you peace of mind.

7. RGB Stock Cooler Included

Unlike Intel‘s Core i9 lineup aimed at enthusiasts, AMD believes even premium chips should ship with capable cooling included. So the Ryzen 9 3900X packages AMD‘s high-performance Wraith Prism RGB cooler right out of the box.

This is far from a barebones thermal solution just to get by. With four copper heat pipes making direct contact with the CPU die plus an ample fin stack that lights up in your choice of colors, the Wraith Prism gives you plenty of stylish cooling for free.

In testing, the included Prism cooler kept temperatures below 85°C even while rendering 3D scenes back to back. And it managed gaming sessions with GPUs like the RTX 3080 without loud fan ramping. Best of all, AMD uses a standard AM4 bracket mount, so swapping out the Prism for beefier air cooling or an AIO liquid cooler is straightforward whenever you please.

8. Ryzen 9 3900X Deals Mean Great Value

Now over three years from its launch date, the streets are awash with great deals on AMD‘s 12 core Zen 2 gaming beast. Discounts of 25% or more are common, bringing this $500 powerhouse down closer to $350. Considering its gaming and creation abilities still stand tall against newer chips, this represents fantastic value.

At just over $100 more than AMD‘s mainstream 6-core 5600X gaming CPU, the Ryzen 9 3900X delivers vastly better pricing per core. And we‘ve already covered why those extra cores benefit gaming and especially productivity. When building a high-end PC, spending a little more on the processor makes sense since you aren‘t upgrading that every year or two like a GPU.

Given its well-rounded design that ages like fine wine, a heavily discounted Ryzen 9 3900X is hands-down the smarter investment compared to midrange chips punching above their weight via hard overclocking and exotic cooling. Ultimately, a fast processor with more raw muscle tackles demanding workloads noticeably better over years of usage.

9. Superb Reviews Across The Board

Don‘t just take my word that the Ryzen 9 3900X is an exceptional processor even here in 2023. Professional tech reviewers, PC hardware enthusiasts and actual owners alike praise the 3900X‘s gaming and creation abilities, overclocking potential, cool and efficient 7nm operation, longevity and value factor.

Since launch reviews back in mid-2019, both amateur and pro testers continue shining positive light on this AMD chip. Well-informed techies agree that if building a new high-end gaming rig or upgrading an older system, the 3900X remains an outstanding choice with real-world performance that defies its age.

Overall across hundreds of reviews, owners praise buttery smooth high resolution gaming paired with RTX/Radeon 6000 series GPUs while juggling discord, Spotify, browsers etc without breaking a sweat. Exactly what you hope for from a premium CPU purpose-built to avoid compromises.

I hope this guide has given you a deeper insight into why purchasing AMD‘s Ryzen 9 3900X processor makes tremendous sense in 2023. Its generous core configuration and cutting-edge 7nm process work together to deliver excellent 1080p and 1440p gaming framed rates along with supremely quick creative workload performance for the price.

Paired with a good B550 motherboard, some fast DDR4 RAM and capable cooling, you will have a productivity and gaming powerhouse. Top it off with an Nvidia RTX 30 series or AMD Radeon RX 6000 series graphics card and you are set for high fidelity AAA gaming for years down the line.

With widespread availability thanks to maturity and healthy discounts over MSRP, now is the perfect time to pick up this AMD Zen 2 crown jewel while supplies last. Considering all the future-proof technologies it brings, from PCIe 4.0 to high speed DDR4 memory support and a leading process, the aging but venerable Ryzen 9 3900X has never offered better value.

I sincerely hope this guide has offered ample technical insight to help inform your purchasing decision. Game on and create endlessly my friend! Please drop any other questions in the comments section below.