Gamers Nexus call it a “ rot chance . ” Hardware Unboxed declared it a “ fizzle . ” Even in our ownRyzen 7 9700X review article , I say the CPU does n’t have “ enough meat on the os to justify an upgrade . ” So , why does the Ryzen 7 9700X top the list of thebest processors ? And more importantly , why am I using one in my personal personal computer ?
I ’ll do my best to answer these forced questions . The dashing hopes in the Ryzen 7 9700X is n’t truly world-wide — no opinions about PC ironware are — but there ’s no question that it ’s the outcast in AMD ’s batting order of Ryzen 9000 CPUs . It ’s not great for gambling in the face of theRyzen 7 9800X3D , and you could save $ 50 to $ 70 with the Ryzen 7 7700X while getting mostly like productiveness performance . But AMD ’s trustworthy lilliputian Zen 5 octa - heart is still at the centre of my mellow - end gaming personal computer , and I would n’t have it any other way .
A flexible little devil
Like all Zen 5 CPUs , the Ryzen 7 9700X was thetarget of some major performanceupdates short after it released . Most of the disappointment around launch amount from issues between the Ryzen 7 9700X and Windows , as well as the processor ’s oddly low power draw . Most commentator — include myself — either updated their review or publish some other piece of message address the carrying out updates . First notion can last a lifetime , however , so I would n’t blame you for being out of the loop .
The big issuance that AMD addressed was branch prediction in Windows 11 — newer versions of Windows have better branch forecasting , which the entire Zen 5 cooking stove heavily relies on for performance improvements .
That ’s great , but AMD cash in one’s chips ahead and added something else with these updates : a new 105 - watt power mode . The Ryzen 7 9700X usually run at 65W , while the last - gen Ryzen 7 7700X top out at 105W. Even prior to launch , there was speculation that AMD had somehow nerfed the Ryzen 7 9700X with its modest mightiness draw . That was n’t reliable , but at release , the Ryzen 7 9700X was interpret as aslightlyfaster Ryzen 7700X that consumed less power . The recommendation from there is dewy-eyed — buy the Ryzen 7 7700X , save some money , and deal with slightly higher power draw .
That ’s not the shell any more . The 105W power way offers a long ton of extra performance . In my testing , it ’s up of 17 % faster in productiveness applications , which , in this day and age , is akin to a full generational uplift . Youcould overclockthe basis Ryzen 7 9700X to see these public presentation gain , but there ’s something to be aver about an prescribed force mode from AMD . Not only is it an easy circumstance to change in your BIOS , but it ’s even cover under warrantee .
This flexibility is the principal reasonableness I use the Ryzen 7 9700X. Based on my testing , there are basically no functioning gains in games by using the 105W style , but there are huge gains when using the way in productivity apps . It ’s like I have two CPUs in one . I start the central processing unit in its 65W mode most of the meter , but I can easily toggle over to the 105W mode if I need to do anything more serious . That ’s a vast muckle for me , as I ’m running asmall form factor gaming PCthat only has room for a 55 mm cooler . I ca n’t handle 105W at all minute .
But what about the games?
I employ my personal computer for work , but that does n’t require much HP . I could do my job off of a Chromebook if I really need to . As long as my internet is fast and my screen is large , I ’m set . The main reason I have a high - end PC is for what I do in my off minute — play games . And as much as AMD and Intel probably would n’t like me enjoin it , your mainframe just is n’t as pregnant to your gaming experience as your graphic bill of fare is .
Do n’t take that to mean that your CPU does n’t matter . It utterly does , but the stage to which it matters depend on a lot of factor — far more factor than your graphics card , at least . Let ’s look at some instance . Above , you ’ll see the high and lowest result I saw in myRyzen 7 9800X3D review . At the humbled - end , that CPU is just 2 % faster than the Ryzen 7 9700X inBlack Myth : Wukong . At the mellow - final stage , it ’s 19 % faster inFinal Fantasy XIV Dawntrail . That ’s a range of 2 % to 19 % faster at 1080p with the High preset in games , which more distinctly shows carrying into action difference of opinion between CPUs .
Let ’s flip the handwriting and depend at graphics cards . Comparing a $ 300 graphics wag like theRTX 4060to a $ 400 art menu like the RTX 4060 Ti at 1440p , thing are a little different . InForza Horizon 5,the RTX 4060 Ti is 14 % faster . InRed Dead Redemption 2,it ’s 29 % quicker . And inCyberpunk 2077,it ’s 34 % quicker . With a CPU , you ’re look at no performance melioration to an uplift of intimately 20 % . With a GPU , you may have a big range of a function of 14 % to 34 % , but it ’s easier to say you ’ll see an improvement across most games .
Put merely — almost every game cares about your graphics visiting card , but only some games care as much about your processor . The game I typically play care much more about artwork performance .
Now , deliberate . We do n’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater . I select the Ryzen 7 9700X for a reason , and I do n’t need anyone to allow for this article assuming they should just corrupt the tinny central processor they can get their hands on and get the same gaming experience . That ’s not true . For my purposes , the Ryzen 7 9700X build sensory faculty due to a fistful of factors .
As cite , I ’m in the main playing graphically intensive games . That means I ’m expect for a minimal feasible frame charge per unit to impregnate the 138Hz refresh pace that my proctor is capable of . Anything above that , and I ’m languish resources . For someone like me , that 2 % uplift inBlack Myth : Wukongis more representative of the departure between two CPUs thanFinal Fantasy XIV Dawntrail . And as you may see from theDawntrailbenchmarks , it really does n’t matter which of these central processor I choose because they ’re all able to go far above my admonisher ’s refresh rate .
Next , the Ryzen 7 9700X is an eight - core part on AMD ’s latest architecture . First , the eight cores . Most games ca n’t descale beyond eight cores . Some can — see the Ryzen 9 9950X issue inDawntrailabove — but most do n’t . However , there ’s strong evidence that gaming functioning decreases below eight nucleus . Once again , it depends on the game . Some deed of conveyance really only care about two cores , while others see a carrying out improvement up to 16 cores . But since I ’m looking for the most well - round down gaming experience , eight cores is where I desire to be .
On the computer architecture front , I have to be good . It ’s a stake . mostly , novel architecture perform well for longer as Modern secret plan firing . This is n’t a unvoiced and loyal prescript , but based on long time of central processing unit firing , older architectures will generally struggle to keep up in game quicker than unexampled architectures . As an illustration , look atTechPowerUp ’s 1080p resultsfor the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The Ryzen 7 9700X is 11 % deadening , while the Ryzen 7 7700X is 13 % slow on fair . Not a huge conflict . However , the Ryzen 7 5700X is 30 % slow , while the Ryzen 7 3700X is 40 % slower .
sequestrate two generations side by side might not show a massive deviation , but over time , as novel , more demanding game release , those differences become more marked . This is n’t a steadfast rule , but in general , it ’s dear to pick the newest computer architecture you could when buy a play processor to get the good longevity — assuming , at least , the new computer architecture is n’t a complete flop like we saw with theCore Ultra 5 245K.
The 4K question
I have a 4 K monitor , and I wager games at 4K. I could roundly excuse the idea that my CPU matters for stake with that fact alone , leaning on some thin abstract thought that , because I wreak at 4 K , my graphics card is far more important . There’ssometruth to that , but it does n’t really enchant the theatrical role your CPU plays in a gage personal computer . Once again , it ’s just one of several factor .
computer hardware Unboxed lately published a video on this topic circumvent the Ryzen 7 9800X3D , and I ’d highly urge giving it a watch to get a unspoiled grip of how resolution factor out into C.P.U. public presentation . I want to focus in on one specific facet of CPU performance at 4 K , which once again comes down to the games you play .
In this video , the channel highlightsCounter - Strike 2as an example of an esports game where CPU performance is more important , even up to 4K. In these type of game , you may turn down your artwork background or surpass the refresh rate of your monitor , both of which can ply a licit competitive advantage . If you playact these type of game a lot — I dabble from prison term to time , but they are n’t my main focus — your CPU performance is going to make for a bigger role .
The reason why there ’s an assumption that your CPU does n’t weigh for 4 K gaming is that , at that high of a solution , your computer graphic card is put under too much stress for your central processor to make a big difference . And in a lot of game — I ’d even reckon the absolute majority of them — that ’s 100 % accurate . However , game likeCounter - Strike 2 , Overwatch 2,orValorantaren’t demanding , even all the way up to 4K. It ’s easy body of work for your computer graphic card to spit out hundreds of skeletal system . Less press on your graphic calling card means more pressure on your CPU , regardless of resolution .
Here ’s a way to call back about it . lease ’s say you keep the CPU inside a play PC the same , but you incrementally increase the carrying into action of the artwork card . You ’ll see pretty clear scaling at 4 kelvin for a while , but at some point , increase the power of the graphics card wo n’t improve your functioning any more . finally , the increase will level off as your CPU becomes a confine agent — you ’re leave with aCPU bottleneck . It ’s not the resolve that weigh . It ’s the balance between the piece of work your CPU and GPU are doing in the game you act that count .
observe this in mind , I ’m not dismissing more expensive CPUs plainly because I ’m playing at 4K. I ’m throw out them because I do n’t need the extra power they extend based on the game I play . Resolution plays a role in that , but it ’s far from the only broker that go into my determination .
This is all a very longwinded style of enunciate — the Ryzen 7 9700X fits my needs . You do n’t need to think this deeply about your ironware decision , but it ’s very helpful to evaluate what precisely your needs are . It ’ll help you analyze reassessment for young computer hardware in your personal context , and it ’ll allow you to go beyond whatever conclusion a commentator come to based on their testing procedure . You might even stumble upon something that ’s perfect for your rig like I did with the Ryzen 7 9700X , despite what the general consensus of the central processing unit is .
