I'm choosing between the Ryzen 9 9800X3D and 9850X3D, and the 9850X3D costs only about $20 more where I live. I want the processor that will hold up best for as long as possible, but I'm wondering whether the small performance difference is actually worth the extra money. Which one would you choose?
3 Answers
The performance gap is only around 1–2%, while the 9850X3D can use roughly 25% more power and run warmer. If you already have strong cooling and don’t mind the extra heat, go with the 9850X3D. Otherwise, the 9800X3D is the better value.
Your cooling and case size should decide this. A large dual-tower air cooler or a 360 mm liquid cooler makes the 9850X3D easier to justify. For a small-form-factor build, the cooler-running 9800X3D may be the smarter option.
For only $20 more, I’d probably choose the 9850X3D. The price difference is small enough that having the slightly faster chip could be worthwhile, especially if you plan to keep it for several years.
Exactly. The extra $20 is easy to justify if the system has enough cooling headroom, but it isn’t worth changing the entire cooling setup for such a small performance gain.