AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology completely changed the CPU market, letting AMD take the lead with its X3D CPUs in gaming. The powerful and leading gaming performance of Ryzen X3D CPUs isn’t the only factor why a lot of enthusiasts go with these CPUs, but their power efficiency is another major factor that offers users the highest performance per watt.
Since the release of the first-ever Ryzen X3D CPU i.e., the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, AMD has been actively preparing more and more X3D CPUs based on different architectures. This has increased the potential of X3D CPUs to the point that building a gaming PC without one seems like overspending and settling for a lower value.
This is why we have come up with several great configurations using AMD’s best-performing AMD X3D CPUs, paired with the latest and best-performing PC hardware to ensure you get the highest FPS out of your money. From budget to enthusiast-level configuration, you will find five different configurations in this post, aimed at different price ranges.
Best Overall Gaming PC
The ideal gaming PC should be uncompromised in all areas without costing an arm and a leg. Our overall best PC configuration is, although expensive, it’s far from being close to an enthusiast-grade system. Balancing the configuration is one of the crucial steps to building a strong gaming build that requires an ideal CPU-GPU combo, which is what this gaming PC brings to the table.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D is hands down the best possible gaming CPU to buy right now and while we are close to the launch of Ryzen 9000X3D CPUs, the 7800X3D will still live up to the expectations of enthusiasts who want to achieve the best performance for money. Ryzen 7800X3D easily dominates every CPU on the market and can maximize the potential of any GPU.
We paired it with the RTX 4070 Ti Super 16 GB to ensure that you can achieve a solid 100+ fps in the most intensive titles at 1440p. This combo can easily deliver over 60 fps even at 4K in a lot of games, and ultra graphical presets and if you ever need to push the frame rates a bit further, you can always turn on the DLSS 3.0 Frame Generation.
The MSI X670E Tomahawk Wi-Fi is a wonderful board for this configuration since it’s neither too costly but brings ample features and great component support, including native PCI-E 5.0 support for GPUs and M.2 SSDs. 2TB of fast M.2 storage is all you need to store more than a dozen AAA titles and an AMD EXPO compatible 32 GB DDR5 RAM kit running at 6000 MHz will ensure you get the optimal performance without many hassles.
The CPU will be cooled by one of the best 360mm AIOs in the industry, i.e., the Arctic Liquid Freezer III 360 A-RGB, which is an affordable 360mm AIO and offers A-RGB customizable lighting. All of this will be powered by a reliable Corsair RM850e 850 watts of modular PSU and the NZXT H9 Flow Dual Chamber will host these components, which are highly functional and mesmerizing in appearance.
Best Mid-Range Gaming PC
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D: Newegg
Our mid-range PC recommendation is a bit cheaper but doesn’t lack it when it comes to powerful computing needs. AMD Ryzen 5 7600X3D is what we believe will suffice for your needs if you think the 7800X3D is too expensive for your budget. The best part about the 7600X3D is that it even beats the Ryzen 7900X3D, even though the latter is far more expensive and has better specifications.
Combined with the RTX 4070 Super, expect it to deliver a consistent 60+ fps in modern titles on the max graphical presets at 1440p. The RTX 4070 Super is one of the strongest mid-range cards NVIDIA has to offer in the Ada lineup and can easily handle ray tracing better than AMD GPUs. Both the RTX 4070 Super and the Ryzen 7600X3D will consume power much lower than going with a combo that will utilize a non-X3D chip, as we have seen that the 7600X3D offers the highest performance per watt.
Other components we chose for this build include a 32 GB DDR5 AMD EXPO compatible kit from Crucial, a 1 TB WD SN580 M.2 SSD for storage, Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280 for CPU cooling, and a Gigabyte X670 AORUS Elite X motherboard, which will provide excellent component support, cooling, and connectivity.
We went with a 750W PSU from the Corsair RM series since this PC consumes less power than the previous one and will still have room for further upgrades. All of that will go inside the Corsair 3500X ARGB mid-tower case that comes with pre-installed ARGB fans and a spacious interior for an easy building process.
Best Budget Gaming PC
This one is for those who really want to maximize performance on a low budget but still want their gaming systems on par with better configurations. It utilizes the older AM4 platform but a highly potent Ryzen 7 5700X3D CPU from the Zen 3 lineup, which is also one of the best budget gaming CPUs. It brings a fantastic 8-core/16-thread configuration that is very close to the 5800X3D in gaming performance and has dropped roughly $50 in price since its launch.
At $200, it is unbeatable and also allows building an overall cheaper PC since the AM4 platform is still relatively cheaper than AM5. Therefore, we went with the MSI MAG B550 Tomahawk motherboard, which is incredibly cheap at the moment and has great support for the components. Add 2x 8 GB of 3200MHz Corsair RAM sticks and a 1 TB WD SN580 SSD, and you are good to go.
For the GPU, there are quite a good number of options, but to keep the budget to a minimum, we recommend using the Radeon RX 7700 XT, which is an impressive sub-$400 GPU, outperforming its competitor RTX 4060 Ti from NVIDIA quite easily. It has a decent memory configuration and enough prowess for playing games on ultra settings at 1440p.
As for the CPU cooler, you don’t need to buy a premium AIO solution as Ryzen 5000X3D CPUs run cooler than the Ryzen 7000X3D CPUs. Ryzen 5700X3D will do fine with an air cooler, especially the Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE, which is unmatched at a price tag of just $35. The system will be powered by the 80 Plus Gold-rated Thermaltake GF1 2024 750W PSU and hosted inside the airflow-oriented NZXT H5 Flow mid-tower chassis.
Best High-End Gaming PC
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
To ensure you get the maximum performance out of the box, there is no better configuration than our Ryzen 9800X3D-based system. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the recently launched X3D processor, based on the Zen 5 architecture. The processor delivers significantly higher performance than the Core Ultra 9 285K, has incredibly high core clocks, and is even faster than the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Although the launch price is somewhat higher, you will still be getting a high value at MSRP.
Ryzen 7 9800X3D not only brings an additional L3 cache but is fully unlocked for overclocking, a feat that previous X3D processors couldn’t bring since the cores were situated beneath the 3D Cache. Ryzen 9800X3D can be pushed over 5.6 GHz with a proper cooling solution, delivering excellent performance in both and productivity.
For the motherboard, as AMD has already released the X870E motherboards, we would recommend going with a mid-range X870E motherboard from popular vendors such as MSI, Gigabyte, ASUS, and ASRock. For this one, the ASUS ROG Strix X870E-E Gaming Wi-Fi looks like a solid companion, which boasts a 22-power phase VRM, Wi-Fi 7, Q-Release Slim, and various upgraded features. You will now have USB4 ports for faster transfer speeds and better compatibility with faster RAM and other components.
You don’t have to worry about other components since everything will go naturally in this build without any compatibility issues. Ryzen 9800X3D will use the same AM5 socket and, therefore, no need to change the CPU cooler unless you want to go with something fancier or cheaper. However, you could try a higher-speed DDR5 RAM kit, but 6000 MHz will do the job for now.
However, we upgraded the storage to Western Digital’s superfast SN770 PCI-E 4.0 SSD which will be ultra-quick when booting your games. Two 2TB storage drives are all you need to store and keep all your games and important files safe.
To ensure your system will have enough for upgrades in the future, we used the premium-quality ASUS 80-Plus Gold Rated ROG Strix 1000W PSU, that will do the job in style. For the enclosure, we recommend the Lian Li 011D EVO RGB E-ATX case, which is one of the best-looking and most functional cases to have for such a beastly system.
Best Alternate High-End Gaming PC
Our alternate high-end configuration is based on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU, which was used in our overall best gaming PC. The reason is quite simple: Ryzen 7800X3D offers the best performance per buck out of the box and has 8 cores/16 threads for executing any intensive gaming load. Plus, it’s highly power-efficient, which makes it fit to go with any high-end gaming build.
To further enhance the gaming performance, we chose the GeForce RTX 4080 Super, which provides a noticeable performance uplift over the RTX 4070 Ti Super. It brings more Cuda Cores, more Tensor, and RT cores out of the box to ensure powerful graphics rendering at higher resolutions. It’s a bit overkill for 1440p, to be honest, and will be ideal for 4K gaming. It’s surely a big power hunger than RTX 4070 GPUs, but it’s still not close to the flagship RTX 4090 GPU.
We retained the same 32GB RAM 6000 MHz RAM kit from Corsair Vengeance, which is EXPO-compatible. The GPU, storage, PSU, and case will remain the same, and that sums up our alternate high-end build for users who want great performance for a somewhat lower price than our previous build.
Best Enthusiast Gaming PC
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D: Newegg
The Enthusiast build is not for those who are looking for the best performance per buck, but rather they aim for the best possible performance money can buy at the moment. Ryzen 9 7950X3D is at the top of the charts and in some instances outperforms the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. This is due to it bringing a solid configuration of 16 cores and 32 threads along with a big 128 MB L3 cache in total.
It’s surely a bit overkill for users who just want to play games, but if you are also a content creator or someone who is into CPU-oriented applications, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D is a solid alternative. Pairing this with one of the best graphics cards, i.e., the flagship RTX 4090 GPU, will yield insanely impressive results in gaming. Being the fastest on the planet allows the 4090 to reach frames in triple digits in almost all games, whether you play at 1440p or 4K.
Turn on ray tracing, and you will see mesmerizing worlds in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Control, Battlefield 5, and others. One could say that the RTX 4080 and 4070 GPUs aren’t future-proof due to their VRAM size capped at a max of 16 GB, but the RTX 4090 brings a whopping 24 GB GDDR6X VRAM, which will be sufficient for upcoming triple-A titles for years to come. Nonetheless, it’s the most power-hungry card, with TDP reaching 450W outside the box.
Hence, we chose the ROG Thor 1200W Platinum power supply to ensure you never run out of enough wattage for your GPU and the whole system. For excellent performance outside the box, we have chosen top-notch components for this build, including an upper-mid-range ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming motherboard and Corsair Titanium 32 GB 6000 MHz RAM kit with AMD EXPO support.
We also upgraded the storage to the Samsung 990 PRO SSD, which is one of the fastest PCI-E 4.0 SSDs in the market. Two 2TB M.2 drives will be sufficient for your needs, but you could always add more in the future. For enthusiast-level cooling, the Corsair iCUE Link H170i LCD cooler will keep hot temperatures at bay and will bring gorgeous aesthetics to your build, which you can customize via iCUE software.
Finally, the Lian Li EVO XL will keep things neat and clean while providing a gorgeous look through the clear transparent panels. The total cost of this build will be over $4000, but it will take care of your gaming requirements for several years, keeping the performance unmatched for a while.
Consider the Following Before Building a PC with AMD Ryzen X3D “3D V-Cache” CPUs:
Choosing the X3D CPU: Selecting the Ryzen X3D CPU should be prioritized before any other component. Decide the total budget for your build and how much each component should cost. For starters, Ryzen 5700X3D and Ryzen 7600X3D will do the job perfectly, but for enthusiasts, the Ryzen 7800X3D and 9800X3D will be excellent.
Ryzen 7950X3D shouldn’t be your focus if you are trying to maximize the performance for your money, but only if you also do various productivity and CPU-dependent operations. Nonetheless, at the end of the day, if your budget allows, there is no harm in it. However, we don’t advise going with Ryzen 9 7900X3D, since it features 6 cores in each CCD. This is why, even though there are more cores compared to the Ryzen 7800X3D, it can’t maximize the gaming performance.
Taking care of the CPU cooling: This one is crucial too. Ryzen X3D CPUs have lower max operating temperatures than non-X3D chips. This is because, by design, the X3D stack doesn’t fit right between the cores and the direct contact with the IHS is not so perfect. This may lead to high temperatures and to protect the CPUs from damage, AMD has already limited overclocking on these chips. Still, you will need to use good coolers to ensure your CPU can maximize performance without reaching thermal throttling.
Choosing the rest of the hardware: For choosing the rest of the components, you can do it as you would for a regular gaming PC. Ensure that all the components are compatible with each other and there is a balance in the configuration. You wouldn’t like your CPU and GPU to bottleneck each other, nor would you want to run out of enough system memory in between gaming. We have already chosen the parts for you in each building, but you can always replace one of those with your favorite ones. However, if you feel that you need advice, you can always use the comments section below.
FAQ
What does X3D mean in AMD CPUs?
The ‘X3D’ is a suffix to indicate that the CPU uses AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology. The X3D suffix generally appears at the end of the CPU model name and denotes that the CPU features an additional L3 cache.
Is the Ryzen 7 5700X3D worth it?
It surely is. Ryzen 7 5700X3D is based on the Zen 3 architecture but despite this, the additional 64 MB L3 cache helps it to achieve Ryzen 7000 performance levels. Not only is it good for gaming, but it also helps to build a cheaper system based on the AM4 platform. However, upgradeability is not so friendly on AM4 at the moment.
What are the disadvantages of Ryzen X3D CPUs?
AMD Ryzen X3D CPUs feature lower clock speeds than their non-X3D models. This results in slower performance in CPU-oriented tasks. The X3D CPUs also feature a lower max operating temperature, which means hitting the temps in the 80s is a bad sign.
However, this doesn’t apply to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D as the 3D Cache is situated below the CCD, allowing the cores to reach higher clocks since the IHS is now in direct contact with the cores for better heat dissipation.
VIA: wccftech.com
