I'm building a new PC centered around an RTX 5070 Ti graphics card, mainly for gaming, research tasks like deep learning, and video editing or streaming. The GPU cost me $750, so I'm looking to spend about $800-900 on the rest of the components but could stretch to $1100 if necessary, not including tax.
The CPUs I'm considering are the Ryzen 7 7700x, Ryzen 7 9700x, and Intel Core Ultra 275KF, which are priced at $220, $290, and $250, respectively. For motherboards, the AMD board costs $220 (ASUS B650E-I STRIX), while the Intel board is $300 (Asrock Z890-I). I've heard conflicting opinions on the Intel chipsets since the 13th gen, especially concerning stability issues, so I'm curious about the newer Ultra generation.
I also noted that the Ultra 7 has a 40 TOPS NPU and 12 efficiency cores that the Ryzen models lack, which makes me wonder if that feature is worth the extra cost. Here's the breakdown of my planned components and their costs, which are mostly set:
3 Answers
I have an Ultra 265K paired with the Eagle Z890 board, and my 5070 Ti runs smoothly. The performance is solid for multitasking, but I’d suggest looking for a potential X3D GPU upgrade for better frames. As for the CPU, if you can afford the Ultra 275KF, it might offer some benefits, but weigh whether it’s worth the extra cash over the 7700X. By the way, I'm using the same 5070 Ti model and it’s been great!
Swap out your RAM for a DDR5-6000 CL30 kit with just two sticks. The 9700X is likely your best choice, providing good performance now and room for growth down the line. If you want to save, the 7700X is still a solid option. I'd avoid Intel altogether — you won't miss out on anything significant. Also, check out undervolting your CPU in the BIOS and overclock your GPU using MSI Afterburner; it really helps with performance and lowers power consumption too!
Definitely go for the 9700X! It strikes a great balance between gaming and productivity, plus it’s pretty future-proof. I’d skip the Intel for now because it still has stability issues, and honestly, you won’t really need the NPU since any RTX GPU already offers amazing AI performance. While the 7700X is decent, it’s an older model. Try to save on the motherboard too; there are cheaper options than the STRIX out there. Oh, and consider downgrading to a Gold PSU instead of Platinum — the efficiency gain isn’t enough to justify the price hike!
Is the Intel Ultra line still that unstable? And even though I'm not using any AI capabilities yet, I still want to keep it in mind. Should I go for a cheaper B650 motherboard instead of the STRIX?
My main concern is whether I should invest in the Ultra 275 KF or just save a bit and stay with the 7700X, considering I'd have to shell out more for a better motherboard.