I built my gaming PC back in September 2025, spending about £1150 on it before the prices of RAM and NVME drives shot up. Right now, I have an AMD 9600X CPU that cost me £169, paired with a Thermalright Peerless Assassin cooler priced at £15, and an AMD RX 9070 GPU that was £500. Everything runs smoothly at 1440P, achieving about 100 FPS on most AAA games, with temperatures around 60 degrees Celsius. I've noticed some deals on AliExpress for the 7800X3D around £190 from credible sellers in the UK (new but unboxed). I'm considering selling my 9600X for £150 on eBay and making the upgrade. Even though I'm not a competitive gamer and mainly play AAA titles, is this upgrade worth it?
4 Answers
For around £40 net after selling your old CPU, it makes sense, but the improvements won't be drastic. You'll notice better 1% lows, smoother gameplay, and fewer frame dips thanks to the 3D V-Cache and extra cores in the 7800X3D, especially in demanding scenes or future games. If you’re content with how your system performs now, you could, however, skip the upgrade.
But if you’re looking for longevity and a solid AM5 processor for a small investment, then why not?
I absolutely love my 7800X3D! Keep in mind, though, it runs hot, often hitting around 80°C with just a regular cooler. I ended up getting a 360 AIO to keep mine in check, but it still gets pretty toasty. Just something to consider if you’re using the Thermalright cooler.
Interesting! I have a Noctua NH-D15 and it rarely goes above 70°C. What do you think is the difference?
Yikes! If the temps are that high, I might need to rethink my cooling plan before upgrading.
Honestly, it could be a worthwhile upgrade if you’re thinking about future-proofing your setup. For just £40, you’re getting a top-tier CPU on the AM5 platform, which could keep you from being CPU-limited for quite a while. You might see a slight bump in those 1% low frame rates, though if your GPU is already doing most of the heavy lifting, the average FPS probably won’t change much.
Exactly! I think the notion of having a better CPU for future titles is definitely appealing.
That’s a good point! I'm still pondering if it's really worth switching considering my current performance.
For that price, it could really work out, but just make sure the seller is solid. Don’t sell your 9600X until you’re sure the 7800X3D works perfectly; that price feels a bit off, but it might just be a sweet deal.
Yup! It’s risen to £240 now, but I’ve seen it drop to £180-£190 a few times; regret not buying then.
Always cautious about those great deals! But if the seller is trustworthy, it’s worth the shot.
Good to know! I’m not really experiencing any major stutters, but I guess smoother gameplay is always nice.