AMD Unveils Ryzen AI Max+ and 9850X3D at CES 2026

AMD has introduced new processor technologies at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2026, focusing on high-performance desktop computing. The announcements center on two distinct product lines: the Ryzen AI Max+ series and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D. These releases are designed to appeal to demanding gamers and PC enthusiasts looking for advanced performance without necessarily purchasing the highest-tier hardware.

The Ryzen AI Max+ chips represent a continuation of AMD's push toward integrated system-on-chip designs, similar to those found in Apple's hardware. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 7 9850X3D offers a specific solution for users who want the benefits of 3D V-Cache technology at a more accessible price point than the flagship models. Both product lines are slated for release in the first quarter of the year.

AMD is expanding its Ryzen AI Max+ processor family, designed for small desktops and high-performance laptops. At CES 2026, the company unveiled two specific models: the 12-core Ryzen AI Max+ 392 and the eight-core Ryzen AI Max+ 388. These chips are built to consolidate powerful computing components into a single piece of silicon.

The technical specifications for these new chips include significant performance metrics. Both models feature boost speeds reaching up to 5GHz. They also include Neural Processing Units (NPUs) capable of 50 TOPS (Trillions of Operations Per Second) and integrated GPUs capable of 60 TFLOPs (Tera Floating Point Operations Per Second). This architecture integrates CPU cores, GPU cores, NPUs, and memory into a unified design.

The design philosophy behind the Ryzen AI Max chips was influenced by the market success of Apple Silicon. AMD VP Joe Macri previously discussed the industry shift regarding integrated graphics. Macri stated, "Many people in the PC industry said, well, if you want graphics, it's gotta be discrete graphics because otherwise people will think it's bad graphics." He further explained, "What Apple showed was consumers don't care what's inside the box. They actually care what the what the box looks like. They care about the screen, the keyboard, the mouse. They care about what it does."

Performance observations from earlier iterations of the Ryzen AI Max chips have been positive. Evaluations of the chips in systems like the Framework Desktop and the ROG Flow Z13 indicated that the integrated performance was strong enough that users did not feel the need for dedicated graphics cards in small form factor systems.

For gaming enthusiasts, AMD introduced the Ryzen 7 9850X3D. This processor is an 8-core chip designed to offer high clock speeds and massive cache memory. It can reach boost speeds of up to 5.6GHz and features a combined L2 and L3 cache of 104MB.

The defining feature of this processor is the 3D V-Cache technology. Like previous X3D chips from AMD, this technology vertically stacks additional cache memory on top of the processor die. This vertical stacking allows for significantly larger data storage directly on the chip, which reduces latency and improves gaming performance.

The Ryzen 7 9850X3D serves as a strategic option for gamers who want the performance boost provided by 3D V-Cache but wish to avoid the higher cost of the flagship 9950X3D, which retails for $700. To highlight the impact of the 3D V-Cache, AMD noted that the standard 9850HX chip—which lacks the vertical cache stacking—contains only 76MB of combined L2 and L3 cache.

AMD has confirmed that both the new Ryzen AI Max+ chips and the Ryzen 7 9850X3D will begin shipping in the first quarter of the year. While specific pricing for the 9850X3D has not been officially announced, recent leaked listings suggest a retail price of approximately $200.

Looking toward future releases, industry rumors suggest that AMD may be preparing an even more powerful variant of the X3D line. Speculation points to a massive 9950X3D2 chip featuring dual-cache technology that could total 192MB of cache memory.