I'm thinking about building a new PC and was considering the Ryzen 7 9800X3D as my CPU. However, I noticed that one of the games I'll be playing requires at least an 8-core CPU. Given this requirement, should I stick with the 9800X3D, or would it be smarter to look for a processor with more cores to better future-proof my setup?
5 Answers
Future-proofing isn't really a thing, but the 9800X3D is an amazing gaming CPU. It will handle current games like a champ, and most games still run perfectly fine on a solid 6-core CPU as well.
I would say the 9950X3D could be worth a look, especially if you're into heavy CPU tasks beyond just gaming. But honestly, most games don't use more than four cores effectively anyways, so you’ll be set with the 9800X3D for a while.
Honestly, game requirements can be super misleading. It often comes down to core performance rather than just the number of cores. Plus, unless there's some major tech change on the horizon, 8 cores won't be required for new games anytime soon!
The 9800X3D is basically the king of gaming CPUs right now! Even if there are 12 or 16 core AMD options, they usually turn off half the cores for gaming because of latency issues. You'll be fine sticking with the 9800X3D.
To be honest, the idea of future-proofing CPUs or GPUs is a bit of a myth. Just buy the best one you can afford that suits your needs now. If that game requires 8 cores, what’s the title?
It's Borderlands 4.