I'm building a new PC and trying to decide between the 9800X3D and the 7800X3D. The 9800X3D is priced at $399 while the 7800X3D costs $329 at my local store. I'm looking for something that will provide longevity and performance for games like Cyberpunk, Battlefield 6, and future titles like GTA 6 and Witcher 4. My build specs are as follows: CPU: TBD, GPU: MSI Gaming RTX 5070 Ti 16G Ventus 3X OC, RAM: 32 GB Crucial Pro DDR5 6400MHz CL32, SSD: Crucial T500 PCIe Gen4 NVMe 2TB, Motherboard: A B850 board (suggestions welcomed as I have an MATX case), and a 1440P 180 HZ IPS monitor (with future plans to upgrade to a 240 Hz OLED). The price difference is minimal, and I'm considering if the extra $70 for better performance is worth it.
5 Answers
The 9800X3D is definitely slightly faster and cooler due to the layout of its 3D cache. If you're spending that much already, why not go for the best?
I'd still go for the 9800X3D. It's currently the best gaming CPU, and the performance boost, although not huge, is still worth the investment.
I recently got the 9800X3D myself and don’t regret it. It fits perfectly into almost any setup, and I’m really enjoying the performance! Just go for it while you can!
For just $70 more, I'd definitely go for the 9800X3D. The extra longevity and performance you get are worth it in my opinion. Plus, with how these CPUs perform, the upgrade will last you longer! By the way, I recommend MSI's 850 series motherboards—they're solid!
Totally agree! $70 isn't much for the upgrade; I got my 7800X3D for less when it was on sale, but I sometimes wish I had spent the extra for the 9800.
Just be cautious! I had to RMA an MSI board because of some issues, so make sure to research the model you choose!
Swapping CPUs is pretty easy, especially with AM5. And regarding your RAM, going over 6000 MHz isn't really necessary right now; you might even have to tweak BIOS settings if you do. Stick to 6000 MHz for better stability unless you're comfortable with manual tuning.
Good to know! I’ll keep that in mind when choosing my RAM speed.
Definitely! The performance drop can be real if you go too high without tuning.
Interesting point! I didn’t know about the cooler design. It sounds like a smart choice!