Hey everyone! My husband and I are diving into building new gaming PCs and noticed that Microcenter has some CPU/RAM/Motherboard bundles. I'm curious whether these bundles are worth it or if I should just buy parts separately. The reviews I've seen for the motherboards aren't too great, which has me hesitant.
I'm torn between the 9700X, 9900X, or 7800X3D options for the CPU. I also plan on upgrading to Corsair Vengeance RAM. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these options with the motherboards available! Any advice would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!
5 Answers
The 9800X3D is only $40 more!
Honestly, if gaming is your priority, the 7800X3D is a great deal. However, I'm not a huge fan of the bundled motherboards and RAM—they tend to be lower quality and have higher latency (like CL36 instead of CL30). Microcenter bundles are great value, but you have to decide if you want the best performance for your bucks or splurge on your ideal setup. Just keep in mind, the bundled parts might not be the highest quality!
Most motherboards are good enough for gaming. Plus, if you go to Microcenter, they'll often let you upgrade the RAM and just pay the difference.
I went with the 9700X and B650 motherboard combo, and I'm quite happy with it!
I've bought two of the 7800X3D bundles, and they're fantastic! If you're planning to grab a high-end GPU like a 5080 or 9070XT, I'd say go for the 7800X3D, it's worth the extra cash. If not, you might get better performance by putting that money towards a GPU upgrade instead. The 9900X with an upgraded motherboard is also a solid choice, especially since it has 4 NVMe slots, two of which are 5.0. Just be sure to check out the Inland NVMe drives; they offer great performance at a better price!
I can't believe my partner makes the trip to Microcenter from abroad! I feel your pain, living outside the US means I can't access it either.
Right now I've got a 2060 Super but I plan to upgrade to a 5080 or something better eventually. Do you think the 9900X with the motherboard upgrade would be better than the 7800X3D?
For gaming, the difference in performance with RAM is minimal once you hit DDR5-6000, so I'd save that cash or invest it elsewhere. It's often cheaper to buy the Microcenter bundle than getting parts separately. As for which CPU to choose, it depends on your gaming and resolution preferences. If you're playing at 1080p or using games that benefit from 3D V-cache, go with the 7800X3D. For 4K gaming, the budget-friendly 9700X might be better, and you can splurge on a better GPU with the savings!
Is the difference between CL30 and CL36 that noticeable? I'm a web designer and gamer's perspective is different from mine.