I'm currently using a Ryzen 7 5800XT with 32 GB of DDR4 memory and an RX 7900 XT. After seeing the extended footage for GTA 6 and hearing that the console version is targeting 30 fps, I started wondering whether I should move from AM4 to AM5 before the PC version eventually arrives.
I'd want the upgrade to be clearly faster than my current CPU, so something like a 9600X doesn't seem worthwhile for the price. Memory is also expensive at the moment, which makes the cost of a new motherboard, DDR5, and possibly a power supply harder to justify.
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is currently available for about £265, but switching platforms would push the total cost above £800. Is the 7800X3D enough of an improvement to justify that expense, or would it make more sense to spend extra on a higher-end processor or wait?
5 Answers
Your current system should still handle demanding games at high settings for quite a while, especially with an RX 7900 XT. Console CPUs are also not particularly cutting-edge, so there’s no reason to assume the PC version will require an immediate platform upgrade. I’d wait until the game is closer to release and then upgrade based on real benchmarks.
I wouldn’t rebuild the whole system for one game that’s still years away and hasn’t even been shown running on PC. Memory prices could look very different by then, and your current processor is still capable. If you want a relatively inexpensive AM4 upgrade, a 5800X3D would let you keep your motherboard and DDR4 while improving gaming performance.
The newer chips are faster, but the value depends on what you play and the resolution you use. Rough estimates put the 7600X around 30% ahead of the 5800XT, the 9600X around 35% ahead, the 7800X3D close to 75% ahead, and the 9800X3D around 85% ahead in suitable CPU-limited scenarios. Those are meaningful gains, but future releases will bring even faster options, so waiting may give you a better upgrade for the same money.
If you’re determined to replace the entire platform and budget isn’t a major concern, I’d skip the 7800X3D and either choose a newer high-end X3D chip or wait for the next generation. A 9800X3D would make more sense for a fresh build, while a top-tier 9950X3D adds extra cores for multitasking and CPU-heavy workloads. For gaming alone, though, the 7800X3D would perform similarly enough that the additional cost may not be worthwhile.
The best price-to-performance move is probably finding a 5800X3D and selling the 5800XT. You can keep your existing board and memory, get more gaming performance, and avoid spending £800 or more on a complete platform change. If you’re going to spend that much anyway, it would be more sensible to wait for the next generation rather than moving to an older AM5 chip.
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