AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2)
Zen 5 + 3D V-Cache · 8C · 5.4 GHz
Apple M4
10C CPU · 10C GPU · Ray-Tracing
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) lands at 96 and Apple M4 at 92. That puts AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) ahead by 4 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) if…
- ✓Latest generation silicon
- ✓Improved perf-per-watt
- ✓Full modern feature set
Pick Apple M4 if…
- ✓Industry-best perf-per-watt
- ✓Hardware ray tracing on iGPU
- ✓LPDDR5X 120 GB/s
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testGaming
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2)Frame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) leads on gaming (97 vs 72).
Creators & productivity
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2)Rendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) leads on multi (96 vs 86).
Power efficiency
Apple M4Performance per watt — thermals, PSU headroom, electricity cost
Apple M4 leads on efficiency (100 vs 86).
Value for money
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2)Specdex score per dollar at MSRP
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) more score per dollar ($499 vs $1,099).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) | Apple M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Zen 5 | — |
| Cores | 8 | ▲ 10 (4P+6E) |
| Threads | 16 | — |
| Socket | AM5 | — |
| Release year | 2026 | — |
| Memory bandwidth | — | 120 GB/s |
| Neural engine | — | 16-core, 38 TOPS |
| Process | — | TSMC N3E |
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2)
- +Latest generation silicon
- +Improved perf-per-watt
- +Full modern feature set
- −Premium pricing
- −Requires up-to-date platform
- −Initial stock scarcity likely
Apple M4
- +Industry-best perf-per-watt
- +Hardware ray tracing on iGPU
- +LPDDR5X 120 GB/s
- −Only in Apple products
- −Limited Windows gaming
- −Entry-tier 8 GB RAM is tight for ML
FAQ: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) vs Apple M4
Which is better, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) or Apple M4? +
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) scores 96 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 4. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) worth the price? +
At $499, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in single.
Is Apple M4 worth the price? +
At $1,099, Apple M4 delivers a Specdex score of 92 — strongest in single.
Does AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) or Apple M4 last longer? +
Based on our long-term update and support ratings, both ship with multi-year support. Battery and reliability scores are visible in the breakdown above.
Which is better for gaming, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) or Apple M4? +
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) — leads on gaming (97 vs 72). Frame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed.
Which is better for creator and productivity work, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) or Apple M4? +
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (v2) — leads on multi (96 vs 86). Rendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count.