AMD has been actively developing enhancements for its AM5 platform geared towards gamers, with CES 2026 serving as the launching pad for its latest fastest gaming CPU globally, replacing the exceptional Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Enter the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D, an upgraded version of the 9800X3D with improved specifications to better handle more demanding games. Alongside the new gaming processor, AMD unveiled a complete range of AI-centric CPUs.
We have consistently advocated that AMD’s AM5 platform is the top pick for PC gamers, and this sentiment has been reinforced with the introduction of the Ryzen 7 9850X3D. While the 9800X3D and the new 9850X3D may not be the most powerful X3D processors — that distinction belongs to the 9950X3D — they stand out as the finest gaming-focused chips. So, what’s different about the 7850X3D? AMD has increased the boost clock speed.
This CPU still boasts 8 cores with 104 MB of L2 and L3 cache and a TDP of 120 W. For comparison, while the maximum boost speed of the 9800X3D was a modest 5.2 GHz, we are now witnessing an almost 10% increase. With a boost clock of 5.5 GHz, the 9900X3D becomes an appealing choice for gamers and completes the range by offering a new option that should deliver better value for those seeking more than what the existing 9800X3D provides.
Interestingly, instead of showcasing comparisons against its current Ryzen 9000 series X3D CPU lineup, AMD pitted the 9850X3D against Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. This brand-new CPU exhibits an average performance boost of 27% across various PC games such as Battlefield 6, Cyberpunk 2077, and F1 25. The most significant performance gains for the 9850X3D were observed in Baldur’s Gate 3 with an impressive increase of 160% over Intel.
CES 2026 would not be complete without every brand delving into AI technology, and AMD was no exception. Introducing the AMD Ryzen AI 400 series processors designed for mobile applications, blending CPU, GPU, and NPU performance into a unified package for laptops and other portable devices. This new chip family touts a capability of up to 60 TOPs, although specific metrics were not disclosed.
The flagship in this lineup is the Ryzen AI HX9 HX475 featuring a robust configuration with12 cores,24 threads to handle heavy workloads effortlessly. Additionally, it offers a boost speed of up to5.2 GHz and includes16 GPU compute units (CUs), making it proficient in video processing while also capable of some gaming tasks. The RAM operates at lightning-fast speeds reaching up to8533 MT/s.
The new AI processors are set to hit markets in Q1 of2026. But AMD didn’t stop there; they also unveiled a completely new PC category driven by Ryzen AI Max+ processors previously created by them. These processors offer workstation-level capabilities for tasks like video editing, 3D modeling, with remarkable integrated graphics performance along with unified RAM capacities up to128 GB.
For CES2026, AMD expanded its AI portfolio by introducing two new Ryzen AI Max+ processors -the392 and388 models.These latest chips are expected to power more compact systems providing exceptional performance across gaming, work tasks, and everything in between.It’s worth noting that AMD continues to maintain high CU counts in both Ryzen AI Max+392 and388 models delivering higher TFLOPs through their GPUs.