I'm deciding between the 9800X3D and 9850X3D, since I can get either one for the same price. From what I've seen, the 9850X3D is only around 5% faster but may run noticeably hotter. Is the newer chip still the better choice, or would the cooler and quieter operation of the 9800X3D be preferable?
4 Answers
The main question is whether the extra few percent matters in your actual use. For a spacious case, I’d choose the 9850X3D and adjust it if needed. In a mini-ITX build, or if you care more about low temperatures and silence than benchmark results, the 9800X3D may be the nicer choice even if it’s slightly slower.
Both are extremely capable gaming processors, so the difference probably won’t be noticeable outside benchmarks or demanding high-refresh-rate scenarios. If you like experimenting with BIOS settings, pick the 9850X3D. If you just want a cool, quiet system and don’t care about a small performance gap, the 9800X3D is still a perfectly sensible option.
The 9850X3D is the obvious value pick if both cost the same, especially if you enjoy tuning. You can undervolt it or reduce the maximum clock, potentially getting performance close to a 9800X3D while using less power. There’s little reason to choose the older chip unless you want a plug-and-play system with no tweaking.
Go with the 9850X3D at the same price. It’s essentially a better-binned version, so you can always lower the voltage, apply a curve optimizer, enable Eco Mode, or reduce its power limit if temperatures and noise become an issue. You get the extra performance now and retain the option to make it run cooler later.
That’s what I’m weighing up. I really like how cool and quiet the 9800X3D runs, but both chips seem powerful enough that the practical difference may be tiny.