I currently have a Ryzen 7 7700X and a Radeon RX 6800 XT, but I'm upgrading to an RTX 5080. I'm deciding between a Ryzen 7 7800X3D and a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, with about a $100 price difference between them locally. I mostly play AAA games such as Cyberpunk 2077, along with strategy games like Hearts of Iron IV, and I don't play competitive esports titles. My monitor runs at 1440p and 360Hz, so I'm wondering whether the higher refresh rate makes the 9800X3D a worthwhile upgrade. I've noticed CPU bottlenecks in crowded areas of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Last of Us before, so I'm also curious whether either chip would be a meaningful improvement over my 7700X.
3 Answers
If the extra $100 isn’t a problem, the 9800X3D is the safer long-term choice. It gives you more CPU headroom and should pair nicely with a 5080, even if the difference from the 7800X3D is small in many games. You’re unlikely to regret buying the faster chip, but the value advantage still goes to the 7800X3D.
You could also keep the 7700X for now and see how the 5080 performs in the games you actually play. Both X3D chips may improve CPU-limited lows and simulation-heavy titles, but the upgrade won’t necessarily transform your average frame rate. If you do decide to replace it, choose the 7800X3D for value or the 9800X3D if you want maximum longevity.
For your game selection, the 7800X3D should be enough and is probably the better value. The 360Hz monitor doesn’t automatically make the faster CPU necessary, especially if you aren’t playing esports games where extremely high frame rates matter. In most AAA games at 1440p with an RTX 5080, the GPU will still be the limiting factor.
That makes sense, although I did run into CPU-limited moments in dense areas of Cyberpunk 2077 and The Last of Us with a previous high-end GPU. That’s why I’m considering an upgrade from the 7700X rather than assuming it will always be fine.