AMD’s Surprise Ryzen Launch and the Viral “1000 FPS Club” Craze

AMD recently dropped a quiet batch of new desktop Ryzen CPUs that caught the tech world off-guard, just as a bold new marketing stunt went viral. In mid-September 2025 AMD added several new chips aimed at budget builders, including the Zen 5-based Ryzen 7 9700F and Ryzen 5 9500F, along with a fresh Zen 4 part (Ryzen 5 7400) and a Zen 3 refresh (Ryzen 5 5600F). At the same time, AMD’s marketing put the spotlight on extreme performance, claiming certain 3D V-Cache Ryzen chips could hit 1,000 frames per second in popular esports titles. The result is a perfect storm of headlines: new budget-friendly CPUs, plus an outrageous “1000 FPS” brag that has gamers talking.

What’s New in the Ryzen Lineup? F-Series and More

The unannounced launch added several “F-series” Ryzen CPUs, AMD’s nomenclature for processors without integrated graphics along with a few other refreshes. Two Zen 5 chips debuted on the AM5 platform: the Ryzen 7 9700F (8 cores/16 threads, 3.8/5.5 GHz boost, 32 MB L3 cache, 65 W TDP) and the Ryzen 5 9500F (6 cores/12 threads, 3.8/5.0 GHz boost, 32 MB L3, 65 W). These are essentially GPU-less versions of the 9700X and 9600X, offering the same core counts and clocks but requiring a discrete GPU. A Windows Central roundup notes that AMD specifically tagged the 9500F as a starter gaming chip – “Start Your Gaming Journey Here” underlining that these are lower-cost, gaming-focused parts.

In addition, AMD quietly released the Ryzen 5 7400 (Zen 4) and Ryzen 5 5600F (Zen 3). The 7400 is an entry-level Zen 4 chip with 6 cores/12 threads, 3.3/4.3 GHz clocks, and only 16 MB of L3 cache, a curious configuration that actually halves the normal 32 MB cache to salvage imperfect dies. (For comparison, the related 7400F already on the market has 3.7/4.7 GHz clocks and 32 MB of L3 cache.) The 5600F (6c/12t, 3.0/4.0 GHz, 32 MB L3, 65 W) is basically a “nerfed” version of the Ryzen 5 5600. All of these F-series chips drop the integrated GPU, which AMD says helps cut costs which is a smart move for builders who already use a dedicated graphics card. These new Zen 5/4/3 releases are explicitly “aimed at budget builders”, making them natural contenders for those hunting the best budget gaming CPU 2025.

Finally, AMD also bolstered its Ryzen PRO line up for business PCs. The company unveiled four new PRO models: three with Zen 5 cores and one with Zen 4. For example, the flagship Ryzen 9 PRO 9945 is a 12-core/24-thread Zen 5 chip (3.4/5.4 GHz, 65 W). AMD even claims this PRO 9945 is “18–24% faster than Intel’s Core i7-14700K” in performance tests evident that AMD is keen to trumpet its edge over Intel in gaming and productivity. (In other words, the AMD vs Intel gaming performance battle continues, and these new chips give Team Red more ammo.)

As AMD was rolling out new budget CPUs, a separate story took the internet by storm. A slide deck (originally posted on X/Twitter) showed AMD pairing its top X3D (3D V-Cache) Ryzen chips with flagship GPUs, claiming they could hit 1,000 FPS in certain esports games. The featured CPUs were the new Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D (both 3D V-Cache Zen 5 parts), as well as the laptop Ryzen 9 9955HX3D. AMD’s chart indicated that, when combined with an NVIDIA RTX 5090 or 5080 GPU, these processors could breach the 1,000 FPS mark in titles like Counter-Strike 2, Valorant, League of Legends, PUBG, and more. In fact, AMD explicitly calls these models the “1000 FPS Club”, boasting that three of its chips (9800X3D, 9950X3D, 9955HX3D) can achieve 1,000 FPS in six different esports games under its recommended settings.

This claim depends on very specific settings: the tests were done at 1080p with Windows 11 (24H2), virtualization-based security (VBS) and Smart Access Memory turned off, ultra-fast DDR5 RAM (6000 MT/s CL30), and a “monster” GPU (RTX 5090/5080). Unsurprisingly, most independent reviewers only see ~600–700 FPS even with those high-end rigs. Naturally, 1000 Hz monitors aren’t available yet, so AMD’s claim feels more like an in-house flex, showcasing just how far ahead the company believes it is in gaming performance. Currently, the fastest displays top out at 720 Hz using OLED panels, but they only reach that speed in dual-mode while running at a reduced 720p resolution. Still, it’s possible AMD could push even higher frame rates under those conditions.

Even so, the stunt grabbed headlines. Gamers on social media had fun with AMD’s boldness (memes about a “1000 FPS monitor” abounded), and it underscored that AMD’s new X3D chips are aimed at extreme high-FPS performance. After all, 3D V-Cache has always been pitched as a way to push gaming frame rates higher. The slide deck was titled “Fast-Twitch Gaming,” and it listed these chips and combos as high-FPS gaming solutions. Whether or not anyone reaches 1000 FPS, the takeaway is that AMD wants to emphasize sheer speed. In that sense, this marketing move is part of AMD’s ongoing one-upmanship against Intel – a way to say, “Our Ryzen processors deliver the highest possible frame rates.”

The ‘1000 FPS Club’: AMD’s High-FPS Hype

Source: X (realVictor_M)

What It Means for Gamers and Builders

For PC builders and gamers, the new Ryzen chips expand the lineup with more choices. The Zen 5 “F-series” processors (9700F, 9500F) give you all the core counts of a 9700X/9600X but at lower cost (since they skip the Integrated GPU). The Zen 4/3 parts (7400, 5600F) use slightly older architectures but can be very affordable, making them contenders for “best budget gaming CPU 2025” builds, especially for casual gamers or esports players who don’t need the absolute fastest hardware. And on the high end, the X3D chips (9800X3D, 9950X3D) remain king for pushing frame rates in competitive games.

In short, AMD’s new CPUs reinforce its strategy: more parts for every budget, and relentless focus on gaming performance. The 1000 FPS marketing may be more hype than a practical goal, but it drives home the point that these chips are about ultimate speed. Pushing beyond 1000 FPS isn’t useful today (no monitors can display it) – but it’s a vivid way to say “our CPUs are extremely fast.” For enthusiasts, it’s a fun (if cheesy) talking point, and for budget builders it highlights that even AMD’s lower-tier chips can still deliver solid frame rates.

What do you think of AMD’s surprise launch and the 1000 FPS claim? Will these new “F-series” Ryzen CPUs end up on your next PC build? Are the X3D chips really going to hit the magical 1000 FPS mark? You can let us know from the contact form.

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