Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Zen 5 · 8C/16T · 104 MB cache · Gaming king
Apple M5 Pro
14C CPU · 20C GPU · 300 GB/s
Apple M5 Pro takes it — here’s why.
In our weighted Specdex score, Ryzen 7 9800X3D lands at 95 and Apple M5 Pro at 96. That puts Apple M5 Pro 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 Pro if…
- ✓Creator-tier silicon in a laptop
- ✓Improved memory bandwidth over M4 Pro
- ✓Excellent media engines
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 82).
Creators & productivity
Apple M5 ProRendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count
Apple M5 Pro leads on multi (94 vs 86).
Power efficiency
Apple M5 ProPerformance per watt — thermals, PSU headroom, electricity cost
Apple M5 Pro leads on efficiency (98 vs 94).
Value for money
Ryzen 7 9800X3DSpecdex score per dollar at MSRP
Ryzen 7 9800X3D more score per dollar ($479 vs $2,199).
Score breakdown
Specs side-by-side
| Spec | Ryzen 7 9800X3D | Apple M5 Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | ▲ 14 (10P+4E) |
| 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 | — |
| iGPU | Radeon Graphics (RDNA 2, 2 CUs) | — |
| Memory | DDR5-5600 | — |
| GPU cores | — | 20 |
| Memory bandwidth | — | 300 GB/s |
| Neural engine | — | 16-core, 55 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 Pro
- +Creator-tier silicon in a laptop
- +Improved memory bandwidth over M4 Pro
- +Excellent media engines
- −Only in MacBook Pro / Mac mini
- −Premium pricing
- −Windows ARM gap persists
FAQ: Ryzen 7 9800X3D vs Apple M5 Pro
Which is better, Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5 Pro? +
Apple M5 Pro scores 96 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 Pro worth the price? +
At $2,199, Apple M5 Pro delivers a Specdex score of 96 — strongest in single.
Does Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5 Pro 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 Pro? +
Ryzen 7 9800X3D — leads on gaming (100 vs 82). Frame-rate-bound workloads — favours cache and single-thread speed.
Which is better for creator and productivity work, Ryzen 7 9800X3D or Apple M5 Pro? +
Apple M5 Pro — leads on multi (94 vs 86). Rendering, compilation, heavy multitasking — favours core count.