The AMD Ryzen 9 7945HX3D is the fastest mobile gaming processor according to its maker, powering the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 X3D laptop, which I will evaluate in today’s review.
Gaming laptops are a luxury that allows you to game everywhere, anytime. I also own a gaming laptop, and I can say that I used it for gaming purposes way more than my desktop PC systems. Special CPUs have to be used in laptops with lower energy demands because nobody wants a laptop that gets too hot or with only several minutes of battery time. AMD’s new mobile gaming processor is finally out, with the code name Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. In a snap, this CPU’s major specs are listed below
- 16 Cores
- 32 Threads
- up to 5.4 GHz boost clock
- 144 MB cache (L2 + L3 Cache, including 3D V-Cache)
- 55+W TDP
- FL1 CPU socket
- 89°C Tjmax
- Up to 64GB DDR5
This is the first time we see AMD’s 3D V-Cache on a mobile processor, and I am anxious to check the performance. I should note that AMD released its Ryzen 7045 “Dragon Range” laptop CPUs in March, with the X3D model now completing the line. AMD did the same in the Ryzen 9 desktop CPUs, releasing the X3D models last. You will find the basic specs for all 7045H mobile processors below.
| Model | Process Node | Architecture | Cores/Threads | Base/Boost Clock (GHz) | L3 Cache (MB) | iGPU | iGPU Clocks (MHz) | TDP (W) |
| Ryzen 9 7945HX3D | 5nm | Zen 4 | 16/32 | 2.3 / 5.4 | 128 | Radeon 610M | 400-2200 | 55-75 |
| Ryzen 9 7945HX | 5nm | Zen 4 | 16/32 | 2.5 / 5.4 | 64 | Radeon 610M | 400-2200 | 55-75 |
| Ryzen 9 7845HX | 5nm | Zen 4 | 12/24 | 3.0 / 5.2 | 64 | Radeon 610M | 400-2200 | 45-75 |
| Ryzen 7 7745HX | 5nm | Zen 4 | 8/16 | 3.6 / 5.1 | 32 | Radeon 610M | 400-2200 | 45-75 |
| Ryzen 7 7645HX | 5nm | Zen 4 | 6/12 | 4.0 / 5.0 | 32 | Radeon 610M | 400-2200 | 45-75 |
Compared to the Ryzen 9 7945HX, the 7945HX3D has double the amount of L3 Cache, thanks to the 3D V-Cache. So far, this type of cache memory was only available in AMD’s desktop CPUs, but it was time for a change.
Speaking of AMD’s desktop CPUs, you will find all Zen 4 CPU reviews I have done so far below:
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D
- AMD Ryzen 9 7900X
- AMD Ryzen 9 7900
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X (on MSI MAG B650M Mortar)
Before I proceed, I have to devote a paragraph to AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology to help you understand why it offers a gaming performance increase.
In plain words, 3D V-Cache allows AMD to stack additional memory on the processor. While most modern PCs typically have large amounts of RAM, this type of memory is much slower to access than the ultra-fast memory used for caching built into CPUs. So doubling the amount of L3 memory, from 64MB on the 7945HX to 128MB on the 7945HX3D, can boost performance in specific applications that benefit from larger cache memory, including games.
Bonding the extra cache memory directly to the chip is difficult. To ensure the best possible bond, AMD used a method called “Hybrid Bond 3D,” which allows for a high number of connections, increasing efficiency.
Thanks to the extra 64MB of 3D V-Cache, the 7945HX3D is expected to be around 15% faster than the already fast 7945HX processor.
For now, the Ryzen 9 7945HX3D will only be available on the Asus ROG Strix SCAR 17 X3D laptop, which is available from August 22, 2023, to all the lucky ones with enough money to afford it. Since this review’s vessel for testing the 7945HX3D is the laptop mentioned above, I must list its detailed specifications.
2) Turd of LDC-IPS. What a crap with 1000 – 1200:1 contrast and the usual LCD flaws. Even more crap because it has a AG-coating (matte) which further pulls image quality down the toilet (especially the contrast, which attributes to image quality the most). No one seriously needs 240 Hz either. 4K-UHD, at least W-Oled (better QD-Oled) 120 Hz is expected for 3500 bucks.
1500 bucks, 17 inch business notebooks get W-OLED with 4K-UHD resolution.
You didn’t even mentioned this once. You can put whatever future RTX 20090 in it – the image quality still is very low, because the last link in the chain, the display (what we perceive), is low image-quality garbage.
3) AMD is milking customers with their Ryzen processors too, this Ryzen 9 7945HX3D. The chiplet-design is negatively affecting performance, power draw and thus efficiency. Noticeably with one chiplet, even more here 2 chiplets here. Intel’s new mobile processors are already very close in terms of efficiency to this one here (despite not having stacked cache).
It’s only meant for AMD to get higher product margins. They could went for the superior but costlier monolithic design, as seen with the upcoming “12 core Strix Point”.
But why give customers better products if can get higher product margin?!
3) Typical Asus overpriced-tax. Such price yet such underwhelming build. Why make the chasis so thin in height and the cooling so bad? I don’t say it has to be a 7 kg desktop-replacement, but this 3 kg is a joke! No one smart will use this for serious 200 – 300 watts gaming on battery; it lasts maybe 30 minutes. This is meant to be plugged in, and here weight is no problem at all. So make it 4 kg and beef up the cooling.
75 ° average and almost 90 ° Celsius peak for the processor is bad.
38 dB while gaming at native resolution is very loud, given the laptop is directly in front of the user.
The provided noise audio sounds very loud. Whats the point of this, if the user can’t focus on the game, being distraced by noise?
For 3.5k it should have the best thermals and builds.
I’m saying this pretty blunt and full of critique, because that’s what it is; can’t wrap this customer-milking and your partly dishonest test in pretty words. This laptop has to cost 2 – 2.4k bucks at most.
Inflation or whatever recession is no excuse here.
I’m disappointed. Please remove whatever award asap.
You shouldn’t buckle before these companies, just because they provide free review samples. They should buckle before you testers.
I sincerely hope you do it better next time (and change it now), because that’s what you and this website deserve!
Cheers