Ryzen 9 7950X3D Workstation Solver Build (96 GB RAM/192 GB RAM)
Due to the recent AGESA 1.0.0.7 update on the AM5 platform, there is now support for high density RAM modules (24 GB and 48 GB modules). This means that it is now possible to run a kit of 2x48GB or 4x48GB RAM, for either 96GB or 192GB total RAM. For the purpose of this build, we will use a kit of 2x48GB RAM. The reason for this is that at the time of writing a 2x48GB RAM kit will run faster and is better suited to the type of workload users will typically run on the AM5 platform. That is primarily intraday computations, as opposed to computations that may run for longer periods of time and to which other platforms, such as AMD EPYC, may be better suited. The estimate cost of this build in US price and at the time of writing is $2,237.
CPU
AMD’s latest Ryzen 9 7950X3D CPU with 3D V-Cache technology. AMD’s flagship desktop CPU still comes with 16 cores, but this time with a base clock of 4.2GHz and boost clock of up to 5.7GHz. It is noteworthy that it runs at a relatively low TDP of 120w by default.
CPU Cooler
The Noctua NH-D15 is still our recommended cooler for most users. This time we are recommending the chromax.black edition. It provides sufficient cooling for the power efficient 7950X3D CPU, whilst being easy to install and maintain.
Motherboard
The Asrock B650e Taichi is great out of the box and offers good support for overclocking due to it’s external clock generator.
Memory
The G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB is one of the fastest DDR5, 2x48GB kits currently available on the market. If you would like to configure your system with 192GB RAM, we recommend this Corsair Vengeance DDR5 kit (CMK192GX5M4B5200C38). As a disclaimer, using a 192GB RAM kit at the time of writing may not be a simple plug-and-play process and some tinkering may be required.
Storage
Solidigm is a new company from the well established flash memory producer SK Hynix. The Solidigm P44 Pro 2 TB is a high performing NVMe GEN 4 SSD drive at a relatively low price. Consider doubling up on this drive for either more storage or to create a RAID 0 drive configuration for faster storage access.
Video Card
The Asrock Phantom Gaming RX 550 GPU is a basic GPU that will cover basic output to multiple monitors and is appropriate for most workstation workloads that do not require a GPU to perform operations. However, if you are running any graphic intensive workloads or workloads that can utilise GPU compute, we recommend upgrading to the Asrock Challenger RX 6700 XT. The Asrock Challenger RX 6700 XT features 12GB of VRAM.
Case
Lian Li is a brand we have recommended in the past with the O11-Dynamic case. The Lian Li Liancool III Mid Tower offers plenty of space. With 4 fans in it’s stock configuration, airflow is also not a consideration.
Power Supply
Seasonic is a very well respected manufacturer in the overclocking scene. The Seasonic Focus Gold 750w provides reliable power to power all parts in this build. There is power overhead should you choose to expand the build at a later point. For example with additional storage. The power supply is also fully modular, which should facilitate a clean build.
Summary
This is build is very powerful for the cost, especially now with the added speed at 96GB RAM. There is room to add additional drives and even RAM, though as I mentioned your mileage may vary at higher RAM capacities at the time of writing. We believe it’s better to run just two sticks of faster high density RAM than to try to run four.
Please leave a comment below if you liked this build or you have any questions. Also let us know what other builds you might be interested in seeing in the future.
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What is pio bench score of this build and 5950x build?
Assuming you are referring to PioSOLVER benchmark, for the 5950x the number is approximately 0.9958. Unfortunately I do not have access to a 7950X3D at this time. If I am able to, I will add the number later.
Do you think there will be a difference between 7950x and 7950x3d? Also is there a need for GPU if CPU has igpu?
The difference will depend on the workload. It can be difficult to say without running a specific workload and comparing the performance of the two processors in an apples to apples comparison. In some benchmarks, the 7950X performs worse than the 7950X3D and vice versa.
I think the 3D-Vcache that AMD is employing in the 7950X3D is promising, but given the heterogeneous core design of the 7950X3D (not all cores can utilize the 3D-Vcache), the benefit in heavily threaded workloads is questionable when compared directly to the 7950X which operates at a higher TDP. This means that in a workload that utilizes all CPU threads, the 7950X will have less access to faster cache, but have more power at it’s disposal per thread. In this scenario, I think it’s reasonable to expect the 7950X to have an edge. On the flip side, in workloads that are not heavily multi-threaded, the 7950X3D may be more likely to shine. For further reading, I can recommend this Anandtech article on the 7950X3D.
It is not necessary to purchase a GPU with the 7950X if you only require basic “video” output. What I mean by that is if all you are doing with your workstation is viewing software output from a software like PioSOLVER and perhaps some spreadsheets and text files, then it isn’t necessary. But if you are using a lot of video memory bandwidth whilst also taxing your CPU, then this can reduce your CPU’s performance as it shares memory bandwidth with the CPU.
Thank you for very comprehensive answer. I just bought 7950x so if you are willing to do some benchmarks bump me on Skype (I texted you).