If you didn't know anything about Zen 5, you'd think the new Ryzen 9 9950X is a step backwards from its predecessor, the Ryzen 9 7950X. They both have the same number of cores and threads (16 and 32, respectively) and the same total amount of L3 cache (64 MB). The 5.6 GHz boost clock is the same for both and the new chip even has a lower base clock (4.3 vs 4.5 GHz). And yet, the Ryzen 9 9950X is by far the better processor.
To understand why, you need to delve into the guts of the two CCDs (Core Complex Dies) that nestle next to the IOD (Input/Output Die) underneath the heatspreader.
