My husband and I are building new gaming PCs, and I've noticed that Microcenter has some CPU/RAM/Motherboard bundles available. However, the motherboards don't seem to be getting great reviews, which makes me hesitate. I'm leaning towards either the 9700x, 9900x, or 7800x3d options. I'm also planning to upgrade to Corsair Vengeance RAM. Any advice on whether these bundles are worth it, or if I should just buy the components separately?
5 Answers
I've personally bought two 7800x3d bundles and they've been fantastic. If you're aiming for high-end GPUs like the 5080 or 9070xt, I definitely recommend spending a bit more for the 7800x3d. If you're looking at the 9700x, I would go for that alongside a 9070xt. Overall, these bundles offer some of the best deals right now, especially the 9900x with an upgraded motherboard – it has great specs with four NVMe slots!
Wow, you get to visit Microcenter from outside the U.S.? That's lucky! I wish I had access from Austin.
Honestly, for gaming purposes, the 7800X3D combo is likely your best choice, but I'm not enamored with their motherboard and RAM options. They tend to package average parts in these bundles. But if you're concerned about the price-to-performance ratio, their bundles are great value; just know you might be sacrificing some premium parts for a better price.
Is the difference between CL30 and CL36 RAM significant? I do web design too, so I need my computer to perform well for that alongside gaming.
You know, most motherboards are pretty decent nowadays, and Microcenter does allow RAM upgrades, which is nice.
For pure gaming, once you pass DDR5-6000, faster RAM doesn’t contribute much to performance. It’s usually cheaper to buy the Microcenter bundle rather than individual parts. Your choice will depend on the games you play; if you game at 1080p or play games that utilize the 3D V cache benefits, the 7800X3D is the way to go. But for 4K gaming, consider saving on the 9700x bundle and use the extra for a better GPU.
I've got a 2060 super right now but I'm considering upgrading to the 5080. Would the 9900x with an upgraded motherboard be a better option for me than the 7800x3d?