The Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition performs impressively in benchmarks—the few that are available, that is. This has also sparked anger toward AMD within the community.
On April 22, 2026, AMD is launching the long-awaited Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition at an MSRP of 910 euros, aiming to deliver the ultimate Zen CPU masterpiece to date with 3D V-Cache on both processors.
As usual, the review embargo lifts one day prior; accordingly, the first reviews of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition have already been published—but this is precisely where the rub lies.
This is because only a few websites were able to receive the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition for testing at all, which is why those left out are reacting with some fiery criticism. There are only two German reviews of the new AMD CPU.
From Disappointment to Serious Accusations
As Videocardz notes in its press review, there are strikingly few reviews of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition to be found online. Some prominent names, from whom one would otherwise expect a review, are completely absent, yet logically must have something to say to their readers/viewers.
ComputerBase Editor-in-Chief Jan-Frederik Timmexpressed his personal opinion on the missing review unit in a column.
- Timm did not receive an explanation—at least not from AMD—as to why his colleagues were not provided with a sample.
- “The attempt to obtain a sample from retailers who had already been supplied with processors and to publish a review—even without an NDA of our own—in compliance with the embargo only after it had been lifted, also failed” – AMD apparently imposed some restrictions on retailers here.
- However, the experienced CB editor-in-chief rejects the counterargument that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is too niche: “A fast product is showcased, even if hardly anyone needs it.”
No big stage at CES, no grand final presentation – and now no grandly orchestrated market launch. It all fits together, just not quite with a flagship product. Or is the processor not even one in the end? We can’t provide our own answer to that today.
AMD isn’t just irritating the local press with this approach; there’s also a major crisis brewing internationally. The most prominent example is likely Steve Burke of the popular YouTube channel Gamers Nexus, who also didn’t receive a test sample of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition.
- In his latest YouTube video, Burke weaves this into a serious accusation: AMD has put his channel on a “blacklist” and has not only refused to provide a test sample but is also ruling out any communication from the outset.
- The accusation is being actively discussed on social media. In the PCMR subreddit, for example, Burke’s statements are being taken at face value; AMD’s refusal is seen as a sign that they are “up to something shady.”
Gamers Nexus is BLACKLISTED by AMD
byu/FaithlessnessOwn2182 inpcmasterrace
However, another hardware reviewer disagrees, finding Burke’s allegations unlikely: According to JayzTwoCents—who also did not receive a unit of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition—the current process is “not a typical launch cycle.”
He therefore assumes that AMD “knows full well that the CPU performs quite poorly in typical scenarios and is therefore not making a big fuss about it.”
Just to put some extra info out there, I don’t think Gamers Nexus was specifically targeted or “blacklisted” from the 9950X3D2 launch. I’ve talked with several of the “usual suspects” for reviews when things launched and no one received early info or samples, including us.
This…
— JayzTwoCents (@JayzTwoCents) April 21, 2026
The few reviews are mixed
And what do the few tests that actually exist for the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition say?
Roman “der8auer” Hartung is one of the few German hardware experts who was able to test AMD’s new flagship – and the title of his accompanying YouTube video actually says it all about what he thinks of the CPU: “Fast and pointless.”
- There is a small performance difference of an average of three to five percent compared to the regular 9950X3D, driven primarily by synthetic benchmarks.
- The catch, however, is that power consumption has increased by up to 20 percent. Technically speaking, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition is a “really cool CPU,” but given its price of 910 euros, it’s not recommended for buyers.
