A few days ago, AMD introduced the new Ryzen 7000X3D, a new generation of high-performance desktop processors that use the Zen 4 architecture and 3D stacked L3 cache improve performance. As our regular readers are sure to know, this type of cache can make a significant difference in certain applications, especially games, but its impact depends on the peculiarities and optimization of each specific game.

The Ryzen 7000X3D will retain the design of the previous generation, which means that the first CCD unit consisting of 8 cores and 16 threads will have 32 MB of L3 cache and an additional 64 MB of 3D stacked. Ryzen 7 7800X3D will have only one CCD unit, but Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Ryzen 9 7950X3D will have two active CCD units, so they will have 64 MB L3 (32 MB per CCD) and another 64 MB stacked in 3D on the first CCD.

Having a 3D L3 cache stacked on one CCD means that processes running on that unit benefit from higher performance, but what about processes running on the other CCD? Well, this advantage is disappearing, a reality confirmed by AMD’s Scott Stankard, who also left us with a very interesting fact, to compensate for this situation provided the second block of cores with higher frequencies work.

It is the first Ryzen 7000X3D CCD unit with this structure It would be ideal to move the games optimallybecause it has enough cores and threads (8 cores and 16 threads) and adds 96MB of L3 cache, while the other CCD unit would have less L3 cache but run at a higher speed, meaning that it would be better to run applications it depends more on the frequency of work.

With regard to this particular division, AMD confirmed that it was essential have optimizations at the level of the operating system, and it is also necessary to optimize in games to take advantage of this structure and to know which CCD unit is best to use at any given time. Yes, I second that it reminds you of Intel’s Thread Director and Alder Lake-S and Raptor Lake-S split into P-cores and E-cores, the approach is similar, despite their important differences.

AMD has been working with Microsoft and developers to implement these optimizations, and it appears that they have Windows 11 will be required to take full advantage of the Ryzen 7000X3D. It goes without saying that all this should also have a positive effect on the performance of the Ryzen 7000 under Windows 11.