I'm trying to decide between the Ryzen 7 9700X and the 7800X3D as I prepare to start streaming games on Twitch this year and do some video editing. I've noticed that the 9700X is typically cheaper than the 7800X3D but I keep coming across mixed reviews about its performance—some saying it's not great while others find it decent. The 7800X3D seems to consistently receive high praise. Any advice or experiences you all can share?
5 Answers
I really like the 9700X for simulation games and appreciate that it offers better power efficiency—plus, it's an 8-core CPU. It keeps my power bills down, which is a huge deal where I live.
It really depends on your GPU setup. The 9700X works well for most setups, especially if you aren't using high-end GPUs like the RTX 4090 or 5090. If you're running something like that, though, the 7800X3D would be a better match.
You won't face any bottlenecking at 1440p+ with the 9700X, so you'll be fine there!
The 9700X is decent, but a lot of people compare it unfavorably to the 7700X, which is why it gets some bad press. At around 30-50% below MSRP, it's a solid deal, but if you’re serious about gaming and streaming, the extra cost for the 7800X3D is often worth it, especially if you're gaming at 1440p or below.
Can you quantify how much better the 7800X3D is for gaming compared to the 9700X?
The 7800X3D is better for gaming, but the 9700X is still perfectly adequate for most users. Unless you're playing very demanding games or streaming heavily, the difference isn't that huge. If you're on a budget, stick with the 9700X and allocate more funds towards a better GPU.
If I want to run hyper-realistic Minecraft at 60+ fps, would the 9700X be sufficient? I’m not planning to get a GPU like an RTX 4080.
The 7800X3D is specifically designed for gaming and excels due to its cache, while the 9700X is more versatile overall, handling both gaming and productivity decently. It performs better in single-core tasks, but for gaming, the 7800X3D does have an edge. If you plan to do a lot of streaming and gaming together, the 7800X3D might give you a better experience, though it's typically 7% behind in raw performance.
After reviewing some benchmarks, it looks like the 7800X3D scores about 20 points higher than the 9700X. Is that a significant difference? And does the 9700X's edge in other categories balance that out?
I don't have a GPU yet. A friend advised me to pick my CPU and motherboard first, then find a compatible GPU. I can't afford a high-tier one right now. Is it okay to buy a GPU without knowing if it matches the CPU and motherboard?