AMD rumored to beef up Ryzen 9 9700X specs before launch, because 7800X3D is so popular

AMD is reportedly working on a re-spec of its upcoming Zen 5-based Ryzen 9 9700X processor, with a higher TDP, to better compete with the super-popular Zen 4-based Ryzen 7 7800X3D processor.

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Earlier this month, AMD unveiled four of its new Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop CPUs, and one of those was the Ryzen 9 9700X with 8 cores and 16 threads of Zen 5 processing power with a base CPU clock of 3.8GHz, and boost CPU clock of up to 5.5GHz, 40MB of cache and a 65W TDP.

Our friends over at Wccftech are reporting that the re-spec of the Ryzen 9 9700X might see a much higher 120W TDP (from 65W during the 9700X announcement at Computex 2024). They note that AMD has 700MHz reduced clock speeds on the base CPU clock (3.8GHz) so the company "might be evaluating the CPU with a higher TDP to increase base, boost, or both clock speeds".

It wasn't even that long ago that AMD itself confirmed that its current-gen Ryzen 7 7800X3D would be a better gaming CPU than the Zen 5-based Ryzen 9 9700X. I'm guessing that's not sitting well with AMD management, and thus the re-spec of the 9700X has begun. It makes sense, because the 7800X3D is an absolutely stellar CPU for the money, and the 9700X not even beating it means gamers won't feel like they're forced to grab the 9700X if they didn't already get a 7800X3D.

• Read more: AMD: our Ryzen 7 7800X3D will be a faster gaming CPU than Zen 5-based Ryzen 9 9700X
• Read more: AMD teases 'really cool differentiators' for next-gen Zen 5-based CPUs with 3D V-Cache tech

However, anyone that's about to buy a new gaming CPU right now would be crazy to jump on the Ryzen 9 9700X when the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is already here, but more so that we know that the Ryzen 9000X3D series CPUs aren't too far away. Most gamers will hold off, and not buy the 9700X to wait for X3D versions later this year, which will ROCK.