Which CPU to Choose for a 7900 XT? Ryzen 7 7700 or Ryzen 5 9600X?

[Armyre]

Hello,

I'm looking for a CPU to pair with my 7900 XT, but I'm stuck at a decision point. I'll mainly be using it for gaming, but I can't decide between the Ryzen 7 7700 and the Ryzen 5 9600X. They're priced almost the same, within about €10 of each other.

According to TechPowerUp, the 9600X performs better overall, but in the Hardware Unboxed video, the 7700 does better in some games. Interestingly, the 9600X performs better in titles like Hogwarts Legacy according to TechPowerUp.

TechPowerUp: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-ryzen-5-9600x/18.html
Hardware Unboxed:

 

[Bill_Bright]

Not going to watch a 33:44 minute video when the point can be said in 5 minutes or less.

According to TechPowerUp, the 9600X performs better overall, but in the Hardware Unboxed video, the 7700 does better in some games.

If you don't want the CPU that performs better overall, then do some more homework and pick the CPU that performs better with the games YOU like to play.

 

[dgianstefani]

100% 9600X.

 

[Armyre]

Not going to watch a 33:44 minute video when the point can be said in 5 minutes or less.


If you don't want the CPU that performs better overall, then do some more homework and pick the CPU that performs better with the games YOU like to play.

I don’t play one specific type of game, I dabble in a bit of everything: single-player games like Elden Ring or Assetto Corsa, but also multiplayer games with friends like CS2, Valorant, Ready or Not, or Sons of the Forest. I’ve already done quite a bit of research on the topic, but I often come across conflicting opinions. I’m not asking anyone to watch a 33-minute video, just to take a quick look at the parts where the tests or benchmarks are shown. All I want is an honest, outside opinion, not to be told yet again to do my own research, because I already have.

100% 9600X.

But do you know why several tests done during the same period are contradictory? I know that Hogwarts Legacy is poorly optimized, but in the two tests I posted above, there is a clear difference.

 

[thesmokingman]

Get the newer one duh.

 

[Fuzzi0n]

Curious as to where you're from if the 9600X and the 7700 are close in price, over here in the UK there's a pretty large gap. If the 7600X3D isn't an option where you're from then I'd take the 7700 and then set the power limits to match the 7700X along with +200Mhz PBO. Honestly whichever you pick you'll be happy with and unless you're running a very high end GPU or at very low settings/resolutions you'll probably not see any noticeable difference.

 

[_roman_]

A few months ago i would have bought a ryzen 7700 tray. Tray version was kinda cheap.

I bought the cheapest processor available in may 2023. That was the ryzen 7600X.

The topic poster should decide if they want to change the processor later. I'll definitely swap my placeholder 7600X for something better in a few years.

I'm not sure if the improved avx512 and the other few changes justify a 6-core over a cheaper 8-core from the same am5 socket. When the ryzen 7700 is cheaper I personally would grab that. Else i would grab the cheapest of rzyen 7400f (maybe) / 7500f / 7600 / 7600x / 7700 / 7700X / 9600X.

7700 it is in my choice. https://geizhals.de/?cat=cpuamdam4&...plz=&dist=&mail=&sort=p&bl1_id=30#productlist

 

[Frick]

But do you know why several tests done during the same period are contradictory? I know that Hogwarts Legacy is poorly optimized, but in the two tests I posted above, there is a clear difference.

He will always recommend the latest stuff.

If you don't want the CPU that performs better overall, then do some more homework and pick the CPU that performs better with the games YOU like to play.

This is the way.

Me I'd probably take the 9600X for pure gaming, but that is with my system and what I'm playing.

 

[QuietBob]

Unless you do a lot of content creation/productivity work, a CPU with a faster ST performance will almost always be a better choice. Most consumer apps (as well as games) are ST bound, i.e. limited by the slowest thread. In this case Zen 5 > Zen 4.

If your focus is primarily gaming, I'd strongly recommend an X3D SKU. A 7800X3D will perform better than any non-X3D Ryzen 9000 here.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I’ve already done quite a bit of research on the topic, but I often come across conflicting opinions

Not sure why you would expect a complete consensus here. No two people use their computer in the same way. Therefore, there will always be conflicting opinions.

All I want is an honest, outside opinion, not to be told yet again to do my own research, because I already have.

For sure, no offense was meant so I am sorry you took it that way.

But my recommendation remains the same. You need to decide how you use your computer, what programs you use and which CPU will support your requirements. Only you can decide that.

I don’t play one specific type of game, I dabble in a bit of everything: single-player games ... but also multiplayer games

First, I did not say "type" of game. I was referring to the specific "games you like to play"

But based on your very generalized answer, my advice remains the same too. If me, and those were my choices and with an insignificant price difference (only €10 in this case), then the CPU that provides the best "overall" performance seems the logical choice to me.

 

[Solaris17]

Only you can decide that.

BRUH just chose for me!

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$


EDIT: Now have W9-3495X and check outlook and watch youtube.

RIP mortgage. Thanks for nothing Bill.

 

[freeagent]

9600X fo sho.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

If you don't mind manually tuning the 7700 up to 7700X levels and pair it with at least 6000CL30 memory they are close enough that it won't matter for gaming.

I would probably pick the 9600X but I doubt in a blind test anyone could tell these two cpus apart ryzen 9000 outside of X3D isn't much faster vs the 7000 equivalents.

 

[Macro Device]

A 7800X3D will perform better than any non-X3D Ryzen 9000 here.

With a 7900 XT... you'll only find some difference in VERY, VERY CPU intensive games that couldn't care less about GPU performance. Or if you play at insanely low resolutions. Or if you are from the future and use some RTX 7090 so that even at 4K it's possible to be fairly CPU limited, even in typical AAA games.
And 7800X3D is expensive. Unless the OP craves perfection, it's not a good idea.

I woulda gone for a 7700 because the end difference in gaming is minimal and two extra cores for productivity never hurt.

 

[lambda]

What's your usecase and budget? You are not going to get a proper answer without specifying what matters to you/constraints/expectations.

If you're just looking for opinions from randos then here's mine - neither, I need more cores, R9 7900 on the cheap with some tuned memory.

I also have a 7900XT for GPU and was looking at the R9 7900 as the CPU but didn't like the cost (it's kinda expensive locally). So, I went with a 5900X (used) on AM4.

 

[dgianstefani]

With a 7900 XT... you'll only find some difference in VERY, VERY CPU intensive games that couldn't care less about GPU performance. Or if you play at insanely low resolutions. Or if you are from the future and use some RTX 7090 so that even at 4K it's possible to be fairly CPU limited, even in typical AAA games.
And 7800X3D is expensive. Unless the OP craves perfection, it's not a good idea.

I woulda gone for a 7700 because the end difference in gaming is minimal and two extra cores for productivity never hurt.

The 6 Zen 5 cores are fast enough that the 8 Zen 4 cores only grant a 5% productivity performance difference. The advantage of faster, wider per core ST performance is always evident, but slightly more MT performance is only relevant on occasion.

Unless it was something with a more extreme difference like a 7800X3D or a 7950X vs a 9700X, I'd pick a newer gen with slightly fewer cores over an older gen with slightly more, every time.

 

[Macro Device]

5% productivity performance difference.

In some tasks, it's 15% or sometimes even slightly more. While it's still considered minimal difference by me personally, it's at least possible to notice, unlike 155 VS 165 FPS.

 

[Dr. Dro]

My vote is also for the Ryzen 5 9600X. It might have less cores, but the Zen 5 architecture is very much worth it in my opinion. Besides, there'll be Zen 6 as a drop in upgrade in a couple of years and you'll be able to treat yourself to a slick 9800X3D successor by then without replacing anything else.

Enjoy your machine!

 

[Ruru]

From those, 9600X, but personally I'd bite the bullet and get a 9700X since I'm not going back to 6 cores anymore.

 

[Alyux]

Hello,

I'm looking for a CPU to pair with my 7900 XT, but I'm stuck at a decision point. I'll mainly be using it for gaming, but I can't decide between the Ryzen 7 7700 and the Ryzen 5 9600X.

With the very limited information you've given (you didn't name specific applications, games, etc.) it's not very clear which you should go for.
There are strong arguments for both chips and you won't get personalized answers without elaborating more on your use case. That said, my personal (and biased) recommendation is a 7700.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

My vote is also for the Ryzen 5 9600X. It might have less cores, but the Zen 5 architecture is very much worth it in my opinion. Besides, there'll be Zen 6 as a drop in upgrade in a couple of years and you'll be able to treat yourself to a slick 9800X3D successor by then without replacing anything else.

Enjoy your machine!

That's the other key thing the OP left out he could have a R5 7600 making this a meh AF upgrade with either choice.

His focus does seem gaming related becuase that's all he mentioned.

 

[Melvis]

7700 as more cores will last longer in the future as shown many yrs ago with the 4 core Intel vs AMD 1600 review where the more core CPU over took the lesser core yrs down the track in gaming .

Found it

 

[dgianstefani]

7700 as more cores will last longer in the future as shown many yrs ago with the 4 core Intel vs AMD 1600 review where the more core CPU over took the lesser core yrs down the track in gaming .

Found it

7600K was a four thread CPU, vs a 12 thread 1600X CPU. Completely different situation. The eight thread 7700K wrecks the 1600X in gaming. Even the eight thread 6700K does.

9600X is a 12 thread CPU vs a 16 thread 7700 CPU, and the cores are fast enough that the 16 thread CPU is only 5% faster in MT.

 

[Melvis]

7600K was a four thread CPU, vs a 12 thread 1600X CPU. Completely different situation. The eight thread 7700K wrecks the 1600X in gaming. Even the eight thread 6700K does.

9600X is a 12 thread CPU vs a 16 thread 7700 CPU, and the cores are fast enough that the 16 thread CPU is only 5% faster in MT.

Well sorta..... I mean the comparison is because of the same price or there abouts as is the same for the OP, the 7700K was like more then double the price of the 1600X at the time. So it was to see how your purchase was yrs down the track. Honestly I havent and will have to look up reviews on the 7700K/6700K vs 1600X in 2025 to really know.

The difference between the said CPU's he is comparing against since there close in price will be very close to eachother as shown in benchmarks but there both not very old, we will have to see how the 6/12 fairs yrs down the track against the 8/16, my guess is the 7700 will be a little more ahead in the long run increasing its gap but not as much as what the older i5 vs 1600X where, thats my guess anyway.

 

[oxrufiioxo]

Well sorta..... I mean the comparison is because of the same price or there abouts as is the same for the OP, the 7700K was like more then double the price of the 1600X at the time. So it was to see how your purchase was yrs down the track. Honestly I havent and will have to look up reviews on the 7700K/6700K vs 1600X in 2025 to really know.

The difference between the said CPU's he is comparing against since there close in price will be very close to eachother as shown in benchmarks but there both not very old, we will have to see how the 6/12 fairs yrs down the track against the 8/16, my guess is the 7700 will be a little more ahead in the long run increasing its gap but not as much as what the older i5 vs 1600X where, thats my guess anyway.

I mean if the 7700 beats the 9600X in 8 years but they both suck does it really matter cuz that is what we are talking about if we compare 7700k vs 1600 lol.

OP is going to have the option to upgrade to an X3D cpu or possibly Zen6 3-4 years from now at maybe a not too crazy price so taking the CPU that gives them better gaming performance today in most games I think makes the most sense. There is no guarantee games will suddenly get wide enough for 8 cores to beat a 6 core that has stronger cores in a wide selection of games.