AMD Brings 3D V-Cache to Laptops With Ryzen 7945HX3D Chip

pcmag.com:

For the first time, AMD is expanding its 3D-V cache technology from desktop processors to laptops with a new chip. 

The Ryzen 9 7945HX3D will launch exclusively in a new Asus laptop called the the ROG Strix Scar 17 X3D, which arrives on Aug. 22.

The new chip takes the existing 16-core Ryzen 9 7945HX processor, but boosts the L3 cache from 64MB to 144MB to help improve the CPU’s ability to render frame rates. The additional cache means the processor can hold more instructions, bypassing the need to constantly fetch the data from system memory. 

The extra cache promises to increase the CPU’s performance in games by over 15% on average when compared to the standard Ryzen 7945HX processor. According to AMD’s own benchmarks, the X3D chip boosted frame rates by 64% in the game Dirt 5, and 48% in Cyberpunk 2077. Only the older game League of Legends saw a 2% decrease in performance. 

In April 2022, AMD officially launched the technology with the desktop-focused Ryzen 5800X3D processor by stacking the memory on the CPU while thinning(Opens in a new window) the CPU’s die. Since then, it has brought the 3D V-cache to four more desktop chips, but a laptop variant was absent until now. 

We’re curious how the new 7945HX3D will perform, especially since the X3D chips have been known to run hot, which can drag down clock speeds, based on our past reviews. According to the specs, the X3D chip will still feature an up to 5.4GHz boost clock speed like the normal 7945HX processor, and maintain the same 55+ watt TDP.

For now, AMD says the 7945HX3D can squeeze out more performance than rival processors when constrained to lower power levels. For example, the product outperformed the standard 7945HX model by 11% in one game while both chips