I'm looking to get a solid CPU to pair with my 5070 Ti. I was considering the 9600X, but I've heard some reports of stuttering in games like Fortnite and Marvel Rivals. That's pretty surprising to me! Can anyone explain why that might be happening with the 9600X? If this CPU isn't the best choice, what would you recommend instead? I'm aiming for 4K at 120Hz with DLSS 4, mainly for controller games on my 65" LG C4 OLED, avoiding city builders. Any insights would be greatly appreciated!
6 Answers
I really can't see a 9600X causing issues in Fortnite or Marvel Rivals. Maybe it's a network issue since those are online games? At 4K, your CPU plays less of a role. Check out this review — the 1% lows of the 9600X are just 3% behind the 9800X3D. If you're looking for a stronger CPU, consider the 7800X3D since it's fantastic for gaming, or the 9700X for extra cores. But the 9600X does hold up pretty well!
You can never completely eliminate performance inconsistencies in hardware, sadly. For 2160p resolution, the price difference between the 7600X and 7800X3D isn't justifiable if you're looking at overall performance. The 7800X3D does provide better consistency, thanks to more cache, which reduces reliance on RAM and improves those 1% and 0.1% lows by avoiding RAM bottlenecks.
I just paired my setup with a 9800X3D and it's buttery smooth, no bottlenecking at all! The 7800X3D would probably be the best choice, while the 9800X3D is a bit over the top. I went for it because the price difference was minimal.
Definitely go for the 7800X3D, it's a no-brainer for top-tier performance!
For a 5070 Ti running 4K, honestly, the 9600X is sufficient. You'll still run into random hiccups in those games, but that's largely due to Unreal Engine 5 not being optimized well. I have a 7800X3D and still get occasional stutters in those titles, but it's not consistent or like a typical CPU bottleneck.
If you're gaming a lot, I'd suggest going for at least a 7800X3D or something even better. The 9600X might struggle a bit, particularly with 4K gaming.
Is that mainly because of the 1% lows? That's often what causes stuttering, right?
So would the 7800X3D only offer 3% better performance? What about load times and other benefits compared to the 9600X?