Intel is making its own version of AMD 3D V-cache for CPUs, but there’s a catch

Intel has plans to bring similar tech to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D to its processors next year, but it might never be found inside a gaming PC.

Intel is planning on bringing its own version of AMD 3D V-cache to its processors. Don’t get too excited about it if you’re a gaming aficionado, though, as the method of increasing cache isn’t going to be used in an Intel CPU for gaming any time soon.

AMD’s 3D V-cache tech adds a large extra slice of cache either above or below the CPU cores, massively increasing the amount of L3 cache available. More cache means the processor can store even more data without having to access your system, increasing the overall performance in games. In fact, the recently released Ryzen 7 9800X3D is currently the best gaming CPU you can buy right now, abut this 3D cache isn’t a feature found on any of the latest Intel CPUs.

Of course, Intel won’t be using AMD’s 3D V-cache branding, but it has plans for a similar technology. In an interview with overclocker Der8auer and Ben’s Hardware, Intel communication manager Florian Maislinger said that Intel plans to launch its own “cache tile” processor, “but not for desktops.”

Instead, the hardware technology will be implemented in the server market. Data centers are becoming a hot commodity with the recent booms in artificial intelligence and cloud computing, and they’ve always played a key part in Intel’s success. By selling its server-specific CPUs with the larger cache, the Xeon line will presumably make Intel far more money than the gaming market.

That’s a shame, though, as the latest Intel Arrow Lake CPUs were seriously disappointing when it comes to gaming performance, as we found in our Core Ultra 7 265K review. The latest CPUs aren’t just behind the 9800X3D with 3D V-cache in games, but they also can’t keep up with Intel’s last-gen Raptor Lake chips, such as the Core i9 14900K.

On top of this, Intel’s 13th and 14th-gen processors have been inundated with issues, with voltage shifts causing game crashes and even damaged CPUs.

Meanwhile, AMD is barely keeping on top of the demand for its widely sold-out 9800X3D. Some UK stores are reporting that stock won’t arrive until early 2025. We gave the new CPU a score of 9/10 in our Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, with it outperforming the previous generation handily, as well as running far cooler.