With the release of AMD's latest flagship processor, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2, well-known hardware review outlet Gamers Nexus has raised allegations that AMD is deliberately cherry-picking review media. Unable to secure an official sample for testing, Gamers Nexus took the unusual step of borrowing a unit from another media source to conduct a rigorous 24-hour real-world testing marathon. Their final verdict? A resounding "Don't buy it."

The tests uncovered that the performance of this processor, which carries a hefty price tag of $899 (or RMB 6,999 in China), fell dramatically short of expectations. Gaming performance saw a mere 0%-6% uplift compared to the 9950X3D, while productivity applications experienced a modest 0%-9% boost. Furthermore, some of these marginal improvements were attributed to higher TDP (Thermal Design Power) and increased clock frequencies, rather than the touted benefits of the dual V-Cache architecture. Out of 24 different tests conducted, only the OpenFOAM computational fluid dynamics simulation demonstrated a significant performance jump of 34%. However, this particular improvement is of limited relevance to the average consumer.

Gamers Nexus highlighted that the 9950X3D2 offers abysmal value for money. They suggested that gamers would be better served by opting for the 9800X3D, available at less than half the price. Meanwhile, for those focused on productivity, alternatives like the $500 9950X or the approximately $350 Intel Core Ultra 270K Plus present far more cost-effective options.