PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.0% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $121 less on MSRP ($479 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
✅Delivers 16.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 83.4 vs 72.0 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (39,966 vs 43,174).
❌118.2% higher power demand at 120W vs 55W.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

2025

Why buy it

✅+8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 120W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.0 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($600 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

2024

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

2025

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.0% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $121 less on MSRP ($479 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
✅Delivers 16.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 83.4 vs 72.0 PassMark/$ ($479 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).

Why buy it

✅+8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 55W instead of 120W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (39,966 vs 43,174).
❌118.2% higher power demand at 120W vs 55W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 9800X3D across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 72.0 vs 83.4 PassMark/$ ($600 MSRP vs $479 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 better than Ryzen 7 9800X3D?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 7 9800X3D is ahead with a 7.0% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 pulls ahead with 8% better PassMark. Ryzen 7 9800X3D also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (96 MB vs 64 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is the better fit. You are getting 8% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is still the faster CPU overall, but Ryzen 7 9800X3D makes more sense if price matters more than absolute performance. Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is 25.3% more expensive on MSRP at $600 MSRP versus $479 MSRP, and it gives you 8% better PassMark. The trade-off is that Ryzen 7 9800X3D is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 7.0% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. Ryzen 7 9800X3D is also 16.0% better value on MSRP (83.4 vs 72.0 PassMark/$), which is why it is easier to justify for price-conscious builds on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2024) and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 8/16. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Ryzen 7 9800X3D Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	276 FPS	286 FPS
medium	257 FPS	253 FPS
high	219 FPS	213 FPS
ultra	192 FPS	185 FPS
1440p
low	260 FPS	266 FPS
medium	217 FPS	211 FPS
high	172 FPS	165 FPS
ultra	155 FPS	147 FPS
4K
low	179 FPS	184 FPS
medium	149 FPS	147 FPS
high	112 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	97 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	880 FPS	778 FPS
medium	713 FPS	656 FPS
high	561 FPS	517 FPS
ultra	474 FPS	459 FPS
1440p
low	697 FPS	654 FPS
medium	591 FPS	572 FPS
high	483 FPS	463 FPS
ultra	383 FPS	378 FPS
4K
low	383 FPS	368 FPS
medium	328 FPS	326 FPS
high	305 FPS	300 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	264 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	944 FPS	1021 FPS
medium	772 FPS	783 FPS
high	698 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	604 FPS	580 FPS
1440p
low	731 FPS	818 FPS
medium	598 FPS	635 FPS
high	529 FPS	551 FPS
ultra	452 FPS	469 FPS
4K
low	506 FPS	565 FPS
medium	419 FPS	460 FPS
high	377 FPS	409 FPS
ultra	316 FPS	342 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
1080p
low	999 FPS	1079 FPS
medium	999 FPS	1015 FPS
high	907 FPS	912 FPS
ultra	811 FPS	811 FPS
1440p
low	885 FPS	895 FPS
medium	778 FPS	788 FPS
high	685 FPS	689 FPS
ultra	592 FPS	605 FPS
4K
low	639 FPS	658 FPS
medium	568 FPS	582 FPS
high	507 FPS	514 FPS
ultra	437 FPS	437 FPS

Open Ryzen 7 9800X3D Open Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

Ryzen 7 9800X3D

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 November 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.7 GHz, with boost up to 5.2 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 39,966 points. Launch price was $479.

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

The Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 January 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Strix Halo (2025) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP11. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 43,174 points. Launch price was $499.

⚡

Processing Power

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 5.2 GHz on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D (base: 4.7 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the Granite Ridge (2024−2025) architecture (4 nm), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 uses Strix Halo (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 39,966 against the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390's 43,174 — a 7.7% lead for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390. L3 cache: 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs 64 MB (total) on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
Cores / Threads	8 / 16	12 / 24+50%
Boost Clock	5.2 GHz+4%	5 GHz
Base Clock	4.7 GHz+47%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	96 MB (total)+50%	64 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	4 nm	4 nm
Architecture	Granite Ridge (2024−2025)	Strix Halo (2025)
PassMark	39,966	43,174+8%
Cinebench R23 Multi	23,277	—
Geekbench 6 Single	3,450	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	18,500	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D uses the AM5 socket (PCIe 5.0), while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 uses FP11 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR5-5600 on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D versus 8000 on the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 — the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 supports 199.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D supports up to 192 GB of RAM compared to 128 — 40% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) vs 4 (Ryzen AI Max PRO 390). Both provide 28 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: X670E,B650E,X870E,B850 (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) and Strix Halo (Ryzen AI Max PRO 390).

Feature	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
Socket	AM5	FP11
PCIe Generation	PCIe 5.0+25%	PCIe 4.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR5-5600	8000+159900%
Max RAM Capacity	192 GB+157286300%	128
RAM Channels	2	4+100%
ECC Support	Yes	Yes
PCIe Lanes	28	28

🔧

Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AVX-512 instructions, benefiting scientific computing, AI inference, and encryption workloads. Virtualization support: AMD-V, AMD-Vi (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) vs VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V (Ryzen AI Max PRO 390). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Graphics (Ryzen 7 9800X3D) and AMD Radeon 8050S (Ryzen AI Max PRO 390) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 9800X3D targets Extreme Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 9800X3D rivals Core i9-14900K; Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 rivals Apple M4 Max.

Feature	Ryzen 7 9800X3D	Ryzen AI Max PRO 390
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Radeon Graphics	AMD Radeon 8050S
Unlocked	Yes	Yes
AVX-512	Yes	Yes
Virtualization	AMD-V, AMD-Vi	VT-x, VT-d, AMD-V
Target Use	Extreme Gaming	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D launched at $479 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 debuted at $600. On MSRP ($479 vs $600), the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is $121 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers 83.4 pts/$ vs 72.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen AI Max PRO 390 — making the Ryzen 7 9800X3D the 14.8% better value option.