One of the most important components for a gaming PC is the processor. However, games do tend to be more GPU intensive, but the CPU is still an important component of the overall system performance. Mainly because if the CPU is weaker than the GPU, then the GPU may bottleneck, and you will not be able to achieve the performance that the hardware components are capable of providing.
Choosing the right processor can be a difficult task because you have to make sure that you choose a processor that does not make your hardware components bottleneck. Also, the processor you want should fulfill your needs.
There are plenty of people who are looking to build a gaming PC but can’t decide whether they should get AMD Ryzen 7 3800X or AMD Ryzen 9 3900X. So, in this comparison, we will be going through the reasons to build a PC with Ryzen 7 3800X vs Ryzen 9 3900X CPU with the primary focus on gaming.
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
Award: Best value AMD processor
With AMD launching their Ryzen 3000 series of CPUs, AMD has managed to prove themselves to the enthusiasts. With a well-rounded lineup of new CPUs that are equipped with higher core counts and have more raw compute power than we have ever seen. Now, Intel’s commanding presence in the enthusiast space is being threatened by AMD in a way that we haven’t seen in a very long time.
For the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X, AMD has cranked up the TDP to 105W on this processor. Ryzen 7 3800X CPU is equipped with eight cores and 16 threads, making it the high-performance counterpart to the 65W Ryzen 7 3700X. Ryzen 7 3800X also supports 3200MHz DDR4 memory, and as we know that Ryzen CPU works better with faster memory, so it should be able to provide excellent performance.
AMD’s Ryzen 7 3800X CPU falls just beneath the Ryzen 9 3900X CPU. However, it is fair to assume that the Ryzen 7 3800X’s performance will not be any short of amazing. Ryzen 7 3800X’s performance could potentially rival the Ryzen 9 3900X in some applications and even in games.
AMD Ryzen 7 3800X falls in the price range between the Intel Core i9-9900K and the Intel Core i7-9700K. The Core i7-9700K is the natural competitor of the Ryzen 7 3800X, and when comparing both CPUs, the Ryzen 7 3800X with its eight cores and sixteen threads leave Intel’s Core i7-9700K behind with its eight cores and eight threads. It makes the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X a great option to go for when choosing a processor.
- It features a robust blend of single and multi-threaded performance
- Excellent performance
- It has PCIe 4.0 support
- It comes with a CPU cooler
- It requires an expensive X570 motherboard for PCIe 4.0
- Limited manual and auto-overclocking
AMD Ryzen 9 3900X
Award: Top tier Ryzen processor
The launch of the Ryzen 3000 series of processors has marked an occasion that was quite unthinkable a few years ago. AMD has managed to take the lead over Intel by introducing new 7nm processors that have smaller and more densely-packed transistors than Intel’s competing 14nm processors. Increased density of transistors brings advantages such as better power efficiency, higher performance, more cores, and more cache memory packed into a smaller area than the first-gen Ryzen models.
AMD has made no mistake from a core count perspective. The Ryzen 9 3900X is equipped with a total of twelve cores and twenty-four threads, and it does not have a comparison on the mainstream desktop processors. To find a fair comparison based on core counts, we will have to reach Intel’s high-end desktop platform. For comparison, Intel Core i9-9920X is equipped with twelve cores and twenty-four threads, but it costs more than double the price of the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor.
In the mainstream desktop processors, Intel Core i9-9900K is the primary competitor of the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor. However, the Core i9-9900K has four fewer cores and eight fewer threads than the Ryzen 9 3900X processor. It makes the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X processor an excellent choice when choosing a processor.
- It provides incredible performance
- It supports PCIe 4.0
- It comes with a CPU cooler
- It is compatible with X470 motherboards
- It requires an expensive X570 motherboard for PCIe 4.0 support
- Limited headroom for overclocking
Ryzen 7 3800X vs Ryzen 9 3900X Specifications Comparison
| AMD Ryzen 7 3800X | AMD Ryzen 9 3900X | |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | Eight Cores / Sixteen Threads | Twelve Cores / Twenty-Four Cores |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.9GHz | 3.8GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | Up to 4.5GHz | Up to 4.6GHz |
| Socket Type | AM4 | AM4 |
| Cache Memory | L1 Cache: 512KBL2 Cache: 4MBL3 Cache: 32MB | L1 Cache: 768KBL2 Cache: 6MBL3 Cache: 64MB |
| Memory Support | DDR43200MHz | DDR43200MHz |
| PCIe Slot | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x16 |
| Unlocked | Yes | Yes |
| Architecture Size | 7nm | 7nm |
| TDP | 105W | 105W |
When looking at the specifications, the Ryzen 9 3900X is most likely to perform better than the Ryzen 7 3800X with higher clock speed, more cores, and more L3 cache memory. The Ryzen 9 3900X is most likely to perform far better than the Ryzen 7 3800X when it comes to multi-threaded performance.
Does the Ryzen 7 3800X performs better in gaming, or does the Ryzen 9 3900X performs better in gaming. To find that out, we are going to go through some game benchmark results to give you a better idea.
Games Benchmark Results
The main question here isn’t which processor will perform better, but how much better it performs in gaming and whether going for the Ryzen 9 3900X is worth paying the extra cost or not. So, here is a game benchmark results comparison of Ryzen 7 3800X vs Ryzen 9 3900X.
Test System Specifications
| Ryzen 7 3800X | Ryzen 9 3900X | |
|---|---|---|
| Motherboard | X570 AORUS ELITE | X570 AORUS ELITE |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti | Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti |
| RAM | 16 GB 3200MHz | 16 GB 3200MHz |
| Windows | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (1903) | Windows 10 Pro 64-bit (1903) |
Far Cry New Dawn
This game was tested at ultra-graphics settings for all resolutions.
With the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X, it manages to run smoothly at an average of 161 FPS (Frames Per Second) at 1080p. Even at 1440p resolution, Ryzen 7 3800X manages to provide an average of 125 FPS, which is quite impressive. At 2160p (4K resolution), it gives an average of 66 FPS.
With the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, it manages to run smoothly and very similarly to the Ryzen 7 3800X at an average of 162 FPS at 1080p resolution. At 1440p resolution, it operates to provide an average of 126 FPS. At 2160p (4K resolution), it manages to give an average of 67 FPS.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
This game was tested at ultra-graphics settings for all resolutions.
With the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X, it manages to run smoothly at an average of 134FPS at 1080p. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 104FPS, which’s quite impressive. At 2160p (4K resolution), it gives an average of 59FPS.
With the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, it runs the same as the Ryzen 7 3800X at an average of 134FPS at 1080p resolution. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 104FPS. At 2160p (4K resolution), it manages to give an average of 59FPS.
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey
This game was tested at ultra-graphics settings for all resolutions.
Using the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X processor, it manages to run smoothly at an average of 80FPS at 1080p. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 64FPS, which’s quite impressive. At 2160p (4K resolution), it gives an average of 45FPS.
With the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, it runs the same as the Ryzen 7 3800X at an average of 80FPS at 1080p resolution. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 64FPS. At 2160p (4K resolution), it manages to give an average of 45FPS.
Battlefield V
This game was tested at ultra-graphics settings for all resolutions.
Using the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X processor, it manages to run smoothly at an average of 182FPS at 1080p. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 142FPS, which’s quite impressive. At 2160p (4K resolution), it gives an average of 84FPS.
With the AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, it runs slightly better than the Ryzen 7 3800X at an average of 183FPS at 1080p resolution. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 142FPS. At 2160p (4K resolution), it manages to give an average of 84FPS.
Anthem
This game was tested at ultra-graphics settings for all resolutions.
Using the AMD Ryzen 7 3800X processor, it manages to run smoothly at an average of 110FPS at 1080p. At 1440p resolution, it manages to provide an average of 87FPS, which’s quite impressive. At 2160p (4K resolution), it gives an average of 47FPS.
The AMD Ryzen 9 3900X performs slightly better than the Ryzen 7 3800X; it provides an average of 111FPS at 1080p resolution. At 1440p resolution, it manages to give an average of 88FPS. At 2160p (4K resolution), it manages to provide an average of 48FPS.
