I bought a brand-new 7800X3D several months ago as part of a graphics card bundle, effectively paying about $300 for the CPU. I recently purchased a 9800X3D bundle for $495.17. A friend is buying the included motherboard and AIO from me for $150, bringing my effective cost for the new CPU to around $345.17.
After watching comparisons, I'm seeing reviews where the gaming performance difference between the 7800X3D and 9800X3D is very small. I use a dual-mode monitor that switches between 1080p and 4K, and the system is mainly for gaming in an NCASE FormD T1 case. I'm located in the United States.
Should I keep the 9800X3D, or return the bundle and stick with my 7800X3D? Did I waste money upgrading?
4 Answers
I’d keep the 7800X3D and wait for a future generation. The 7800X3D can benefit from properly tuned memory, and the performance gap is small even if you tune or overclock the 9800X3D. Unless you’re currently running into CPU bottlenecks, the money would probably be better saved.
There’s nothing wrong with buying the 9800X3D if you simply want the newest part, but from a value perspective I’d cancel or return it if possible. Keep the 7800X3D until you actually encounter performance problems or until a later upgrade provides a more substantial gain.
This kind of upgrade makes more sense after skipping a generation. Going from an older CPU such as the 5800X3D to the 9800X3D can be a noticeable jump, but moving from a 7800X3D is mostly paying for a relatively minor improvement. Also, because the CPU came in a bundle, check whether the retailer allows the individual parts to be returned separately.
The 9800X3D is faster, but the difference usually isn’t large enough to justify replacing a 7800X3D. You’re more likely to notice an improvement in very CPU-heavy games or at high frame rates with a powerful GPU. For most gaming, the 7800X3D is still an excellent processor.
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