A new, unannounced processor, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D, has surfaced in the PassMark benchmarking software. Essentially, this processor appears to be an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D variant tailored for enterprise or workstation systems. It shares the same CPU configuration, cache memory, and TDP as its consumer counterpart. However, its lower benchmark performance, despite a higher model number, suggests it operates at reduced clock speeds, likely around 5.40 GHz, similar to other PRO models (compared to the 5.70 GHz of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D).
As far as details are known, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D is a 16-core processor built on the Zen 5 architecture, featuring 32 processing threads. Thanks to 3D V-Cache technology, it boasts a substantial 128MB of L3 cache (though not explicitly listed by PassMark). The processor has a TDP of 170W. It seems to be a PRO series revision of the 9950X3D, targeting a user profile distinct from the traditional consumer market.
AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D Appears on PassMark with Lower Performance Than Ryzen 9 9950X3D
In PassMark’s CPU Mark benchmark, the AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D exhibited lower performance than the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, despite sharing the same CPU configuration. Specifically, its single-core performance registered 4,614 points, falling short of the 4,743 points achieved by its “gaming version,” representing a 2.7% performance decrease. In multi-core tests, the score was 65,111 points compared to the 9950X3D’s 70,201 points, indicating a 7.3% reduction in performance. It’s important to note that these results are based on only three samples, which may be early engineering units. Therefore, actual performance at launch could be higher.
With the Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D, AMD aims to empower businesses and workstations with significantly more potent desktop CPUs. Currently, the most powerful processor in AMD’s Ryzen PRO 9000 Series is the Ryzen 9 PRO 9945, a 12-core processor. The Ryzen 9 PRO 9965X3D not only offers enhanced processing power with its 16 cores but also benefits from increased L3 cache. However, this comes with a substantial increase in TDP, from 65W to 170W.
It’s crucial to remember that AMD Ryzen PRO processors incorporate a suite of hardware-level security enhancements designed to safeguard sensitive data. These include real-time full memory encryption (AMD Memory Guard), hardware-level protection against control-flow attacks (AMD Shadow Stack), and a dedicated security coprocessor for protecting credentials and identities (Microsoft Pluton). Additionally, support for tools like Windows Autopilot, AMD PRO Manageability for remote management and repair, and software stability for at least 18 months are included.
