Is Upgrading to the 9800X3D Worth It?
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TechSavvyPenguin99
Hey all, I'm new to this forum and could use some advice. I stream on Twitch and YouTube, recording my vertical screen simultaneously, but my current setup struggles when I try to do all that at once. As soon as I bring YouTube into the mix, everything lags—streams freeze, games stutter, and my FPS drops significantly. Right now, I have an i7 8700 CPU, 32GB of DDR4 RAM at 3000MHz, and an RTX 3070 GPU. I believe my CPU is the bottleneck here. I've read that the 9800X3D is the top-tier CPU right now, but upgrading my CPU would mean also getting a new motherboard, RAM, and cooler, all for about 1300 CAD. Do you think upgrading to the 9800X3D while keeping the 3070 is a sound investment? I'm looking for my build to be future-proof since my current setup is about eight years old, but I don't want to overspend either. Any thoughts?
Answers
What you're looking to do is quite a bit. For about 1300 CAD, I would replace everything except the GPU. This way, you can space out the costs and perhaps upgrade your GPU in six months when you’ve saved more. Yes, the 9800X3D is the top choice, but don't overlook the 7800X3D; it’s around 120 CAD cheaper and only offers about an 8% performance dip.
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Upgrading your CPU is definitely a big investment, especially since you'll need a new motherboard and RAM too. If you get the 9800X3D, you could see a major improvement in performance—possibly a doubling of your output. However, keep in mind that your RTX 3070 could also be a limiting factor, so consider that when planning your upgrades.
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