Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Zen 5 · 8C/16T · 104 MB cache · Gaming king
Apple M5
10C CPU · 10C GPU · Next-gen NPU
Ryzen 7 9800X3D takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Ryzen 7 9800X3D lands at 95 and Apple M5 at 94. That puts Ryzen 7 9800X3D ahead by 1 points — a narrow margin driven mostly by its strengths in the categories below.
Pick Ryzen 7 9800X3D if…
- ✓Fastest gaming CPU on the planet
- ✓Overclockable unlike prior X3D parts
- ✓Excellent efficiency (120 W TDP)
Pick Apple M5 if…
- ✓Perf-per-watt improved ~18% vs M4
- ✓Enhanced ray tracing
- ✓16-core Neural Engine v5 (50 TOPS)
Winner by scenario
Derived from the sub-score breakdown · not a separate testGaming
Ryzen 7 9800X3DFrame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed
Ryzen 7 9800X3D leads on gaming (100 vs 78).
Creators & productivity
Apple M5Rendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count
Apple M5 leads on multi (90 vs 86).
Power efficiency
Apple M5Performance per watt — thermals, PSU headroom, electricity cost
Apple M5 leads on efficiency (100 vs 94).
Value for money
Ryzen 7 9800X3DSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Ryzen 7 9800X3D more score per dollar ($479 vs $1,299).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Ryzen 7 9800X3D | Apple M5 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | ▲ 10 (4P+6E) |
| Threads | 16 | — |
| Base clock | 4.7 GHz | — |
| Boost clock | 5.2 GHz | — |
| L3 cache | 96 MB (3D V-Cache) | — |
| TDP | 120 W | — |
| Socket | AM5 | — |
| Process | TSMC 4 nm | TSMC N3P |
| iGPU | Radeon Graphics (RDNA 2, 2 CUs) | — |
| Memory | DDR5-5600 | — |
| Memory bandwidth | — | 150 GB/s |
| Neural engine | — | 16-core, 50 TOPS |
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
- +Fastest gaming CPU on the planet
- +Overclockable unlike prior X3D parts
- +Excellent efficiency (120 W TDP)
- −Only 8 cores for productivity-heavy workloads
- −AM5 motherboard required
- −Scarce at launch
Apple M5
- +Perf-per-watt improved ~18% vs M4
- +Enhanced ray tracing
- +16-core Neural Engine v5 (50 TOPS)
- −Apple-ecosystem only
- −Limited to first-party products
- −No Windows gaming story
FAQ: Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Apple M5
Which is better, Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5? +
Ryzen 7 9800X3D scores 95 on our weighted rubric — ahead by 1. Your best pick depends on the sub-scores above.
Is Ryzen 7 9800X3D worth the price? +
At $479, Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers a Specdex score of 95 — strongest in gaming.
Is Apple M5 worth the price? +
At $1,299, Apple M5 delivers a Specdex score of 94 — strongest in single.
Does Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5 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, Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5? +
Ryzen 7 9800X3D — leads on gaming (100 vs 78). Frame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed.
Which is better for creator and productivity work, Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5? +
Apple M5 — leads on multi (90 vs 86). Rendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count.