PCPer Podcast 865: Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Review Situation, Ryzen 7 5800X3D Comeback? HUDIMMs, and MORE!

Tech/PCPer Podcast 865 Summary (subtitles auto-generated)

1) Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 review coverage + sampling situation (AM5 flagship “dual 3D V-Cache”)

• Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is framed as an AM5 flagship with a “dual edition” approach, discussed at around $900 (per the hosts’ mention).
• Review sampling / availability
  • One reviewer (notably Gamers Nexus) suggested they were blacklisted.
  • The hosts counter by listing who did receive review units, emphasizing that several major outlets were missing—specifically calling out:
    • No Gamers Nexus
    • No Linus Tech Tips
    • No TechPowerUp
    • And that PC Perspective wasn’t briefed/sampled for advance information.
• Performance expectations from reviews
  • Reviews described in the style of Fēronix / Level1Techs / Hot Hardware (Linux-heavy) emphasize strong non-gaming workloads, including:
    • Video encoding
    • Linux kernel compilation
  • Gaming results are characterized as not meaningfully better than the non “X3D2” Ryzen 9 9950X3D:
    • Similar gaming performance
    • But higher power draw
• Power / efficiency
  • Discussion suggests expected behavior around ~250W, contrasted with a stated 200W TDP, implying higher real-world power under load.
• Other outlet comparisons
  • Testing compared to outlets like KitGuru / Guru3D / Hilbert is described as showing:
    • Higher cost
    • Much more power
    • No real gaming gains
  • A Threadripper comparison is mentioned as going poorly (described as a large slowdown / awkward benchmark outcome).
• Why it may not excel in games
  • The hosts speculate that using two 3D V-Cache CCDs introduces extra latency, reducing gaming benefit.
  • Overall sentiment: this CPU is workstation / multi-thread / compute oriented, not a pure gaming upgrade.
  • The value proposition is criticized (roughly: near twice the cost, more power, no better games), though the hosts still acknowledge the engineering achievement of stacking two V-Cache elements.

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2) Alienware/Area-51 prebuilt featuring the 9950X3D2

• Alienware is mentioned as being first-to-market with the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 in a Dell/Alienware Area-51 configuration.
• Price cited: ~$7,049
• Notable included specs:
  • RTX 5090
  • 64GB DDR5-6400
  • 4TB Gen5 NVMe
  • 1500W 80+ Platinum PSU
  • 360mm AIO
• The hosts express skepticism about case airflow design, referencing concerns about previous airflow plans.

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3) AM4 “comeback”: Ryzen 7 5800X3D (10th anniversary / DDR5 resistance)

• AMD is discussed as potentially reintroducing the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, with the reasoning framed as:
  • “Save the world from DDR5”
  • Pricing pressure and platform maturity
• Pricing mentioned: $449 MSRP (with an SCP-like reference), but the used market is said to often be over $500.
• The angle: bring it back so gamers can avoid expensive AM5 + DDR5 costs.

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4) Retro GPU/CPU market mentions: RTX 3060 12GB returning + follow-up idea

• The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB (specifically a variant) is said to be returning around June.
• Supply/production constraints discussed:
  • The 3060 12GB reportedly uses a different process (e.g., Samsung 8nm-ish vs other nodes), affecting which SKUs are economical to manufacture.
• The hosts mention they have an older review sample and consider a follow-up test to see how it “ages” now that it can be bought new again.

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5) Memory/BIOS/marketing caution: “HUDIMMs” bandwidth loss claim

• A claim attributed to videocards.com (via subtitles) says an ASUS BIOS / DDR5 HUDIMM simulation shows nearly ~50% bandwidth loss.
• The hosts interpret it as a scenario where the platform effectively reduces memory channels/sub-channels, such as:
  • One 32-bit channel instead of two
  • Potentially to target specific “sellable” capacities
• Takeaway: capacity/pricing tricks may reduce real bandwidth, and consumers should be wary of misleading configurations.

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6) Licensing/codecs: Windows laptop hardware decode removed for HEVC/H.265

• Rising ATVC codec licensing costs are described as a key factor.
• Alleged result: OEMs (e.g., Dell/HP) remove hardware decode support, pushing Windows devices toward software-based alternatives that rely on store licenses.
• The hosts say this affects more than laptops, including:
  • Home media workflows and NAS setups (example mentioned: Synology “native H.265” being affected)
• Broader complaint: these licensing structures are framed as “patent troll” behavior, causing confusing consumer limitations.

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7) Networking: IPv6 reaches parity; IPv4 stress relief; odd production issues

• IPv6 is described as reaching near parity (~50% of traffic) after 28 years, relieving IPv4 address stress.
• NAT is discussed as a survival strategy for IPv4 in the past:
  • Network Address Translation (NAT) helped keep IPv4 workable
• A controversial anecdote:
  • Some Microsoft / cloud / enterprise setups purportedly show timeouts / pages failing until IPv6 is disabled, after which everything “just works.”

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8) Security corner (two major supply-chain stories)

1) npm self-propagating worm

• Malware injected into malicious low-level npm packages.
• Goals include stealing developer credentials, such as:
  • Git credentials
  • SSH keys
  • Shell history
  • Database passwords
  • Cloud session data (Azure/GCP/AWS)
• Critical detail: it is described as self-propagating:
  • It finds active credentials during builds
  • It replicates malicious payloads to other packages using those credentials, potentially spreading through other developers’ builds.

2) Mirai botnet targets discontinued D-Link routers

• A botnet is said to actively exploit orphaned/discontinued D-Link models.
• Example mentioned: DIR-823X series (as the router type to replace / “bin”).
• The hosts also claim other brands (e.g., TP-Link and ZTE) could be vulnerable due to similar hardware/firmware board design patterns.
• Guidance: replace with supported hardware; “throw them away” sentiment.

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9) Gaming quick hits

• Expanse / Arkane?: Closed beta impressions for a sci-fi RPG/shooter described as Mass Effect-like, but with bland acting; the hosts suggest the early beta could improve.
• Nebulous: Sci-fi strategy sim with a single-player campaign, featuring:
  • Newtonian physics
  • Unforgiving gameplay
  • Missile plotting
  • Importance of point defense
  • Pausing to issue orders
  • Complex ship systems / damage control
  • Communication constraints between ships
• Windows 11 “Xbox mode” (insider preview):
  • Intended for living-room/controller-first PC use
  • Hosts worry it may encourage controller-first changes that could harm keyboard/mouse ergonomics
• Valve/Linux VRAM fix:
  • A Valve-related change is described as nearly tripling frame rates on 4GB GPUs (example: Radeon RX 6500 XT)
  • Core concept: VRAM memory compression enabling smaller VRAM cards to remain usable

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10) “Picks of the week” (shopping/price-focused)

• Pick 1 (Josh): AMD GPU + Dell refurb display discount deals.
• Pick 2 (Jeremy/Kent/Brett—varies):
  • Deals include:
    • A 34” 144Hz 3440x1440 refurbished Dell ultrawide (~$289.99)
    • A prebuilt around $2,299.99 with:
      • Ryzen 9800X3D
      • 32GB RAM
      • RTX 5070 Ti
      • 2TB NVMe
    • Framed as solid “strip-and-parts” value logic
• Update/second-order pick: A furniture item (TV stand/shelf) described as a build quality disappointment, citing:
  • Tool-less assembly
  • Insufficient friction
  • Wobble/tipping concerns

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Main speakers/sources (as stated in the subtitles)

• Sebastian Peak
• Jeremy Holstrom and Lucid
• Josh Walworth
• Brett Van Stroberg
• Kent Burgess

External sources referenced repeatedly:

• Gamers Nexus
• VideoCardz / videocards.com
• Tom’s Hardware
• Rock Paper Shotgun (RPS)
• Valve (for the Linux VRAM fix)