CES 2026: AMD unveiled Ryzen 7 9850X3D and new AI processors
By ForGeeks
AMD is actively developing the AM5 platform for gamers, and CES 2026 was the stage for the announcement of a new «world’s fastest gaming processor» that replaces the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The new product is called Ryzen 7 9850X3D and, as the index suggests, is an improved version of the 9800X3D with higher performance for today’s demanding games. In addition to the gaming processor, AMD also unveiled a whole line of AI-focused processors.
The AM5 platform has long been considered one of the top choices for gaming PCs, and the release of the Ryzen 7 9850X3D only reinforces that position. While neither the 9800X3D nor the new 9850X3D are the most powerful X3D chips in the lineup — that status belongs to the 9950X3D, — they are the ones primarily focused on maximizing gaming performance. The main innovation in the 9850X3D — increased clock speed in Boost mode.
The processor still features 8 cores and 16 threads, 104MB of L2 and L3 cache, and a 120W heatpack. The maximum Boost frequency has increased from 5.2GHz on the 9800X3D to 5.6GHz, giving a nearly 10 percent boost. By comparison, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D overclocks to 5.5GHz. This makes the 9850X3D an attractive option for those looking for maximum gaming performance at a more balanced price point.
The 9850X3D is a great option for those who want the best possible gaming performance at a more balanced price point.
AMD chose to compare the Ryzen 7 9850X3D not to other in-house-made X3D models, but to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K. According to the company, the new processor delivers an average of 27% better performance in a number of popular games, including Battlefield 6, Cyberpunk 2077 and F1 25. The biggest boost was seen in Baldur’s Gate 3, where the advantage over Intel’s processor reached an impressive 160%.
Besides gaming CPUs, AMD didn’t neglect the topic of artificial intelligence. The company unveiled the Ryzen AI 400 mobile lineup aimed at laptops and portable devices. These processors combine CPU, GPU, and NPU on a single chip to deliver up to 60 TOPS of compute power for AI tasks.
The flagship of the series is the Ryzen AI 9 HX 475 with 12 cores and 24 threads, Boost speeds up to 5.2 GHz and 16 GPU processing units. It is oriented for heavy workloads, video work and even moderate gaming. It is also claimed to support fast RAM up to 8533 MT/s. The lineup also includes more affordable Ryzen AI 9, Ryzen AI 7 and Ryzen AI 5 models with different number of cores, graphics units and NPU performance from 50 to 60 TOPS. The first Ryzen AI 400-based devices will be available in the first quarter of 2026.
AMD didn’t stop there and expanded the Ryzen AI Max+ family, which effectively formed a new class of PCs. These processors are aimed at compact but very powerful systems for video editing, 3D modeling and other professional tasks, offering powerful integrated graphics and up to 128GB of unified memory.
Two new models — Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and Ryzen AI Max+ 388 were unveiled at CES 2026. They complemented the existing lineup by maintaining a high number of graphics processing units and providing up to 60 TFLOPs of GPU performance. These chips are aimed at compact systems that can handle gaming, work, and AI-related tasks equally well.
All in all, AMD’s announcements at CES 2026 show that 2026 promises to be a very successful year for the company — both in the gaming processor segment and in the fast-growing area of AI solutions.
