Right on cue, AMD launches a lower power 12-core Ryzen 9 Pro 3900 CPU

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A consumer variant could be next.

(Image credit: AMD)

Just a few days ago, Biostar inadvertently tipped the pending release of two new Ryzen processors, the Ryzen 9 Pro 3900 and Ryzen 9 3900, with an update to its CPU support list document. One of those chips is now official—the Ryzen 9 Pro 3900.

The Pro 3900 is one of several new Ryzen Pro 3000 series processors for the business segment. Pro processors are typically out of our purview since it doesn't make sense to build a gaming PC around them, but the Pro 3900 is at least mildly interesting, given the recent leak.

Biostar's CPU support list referenced both the Pro and non-Pro variants before the former was announced, pegging both as having a 65W thermal design power (TDP) rating. It also accurately revealed the Pro model's 3.1GHz base clock.

AMD confirmed the Ryzen 9 Pro is a 12-core/24-thread processor with a 3.1GHz base clock and 4.3GHz boost clock, with 70MB of total cache and a 65W TDP. Given what Biostar got right, we can reasonably surmise a non-Pro variant will follow at some point.

The existing Ryzen 9 3900X is one of the best CPUs for gaming. It's also a 12-core/24-thread part with 70MB of cache, albeit with a 3.8GHz base clock and 4.6GHz boost clock, and a higher 105W TDP. It's priced at $499 (MSRP).

As expected, the Ryzen 9 Pro 3900 is a slower clocked variant, to account for the lower TDP. It even retains simultaneously multithreading (SMT) support. If a non-Pro version is to follow, it will likely have the same specs, just minus the additional features that of interest to businesses.

What all this essentially implies is that a lower power and cheaper version of the 3900X could be headed to desktops soon. It could end up being an enticing option for gaming build, especially if it overclocks well.

Paul Lilly
Paul Lilly

Paul has been playing PC games and raking his knuckles on computer hardware since the Commodore 64. He does not have any tattoos, but thinks it would be cool to get one that reads LOAD"*",8,1. In his off time, he rides motorcycles and wrestles alligators (only one of those is true).