AMD Ryzen 7 9700X vs Ryzen 7 7700X: Which is the best gaming CPU?
The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 7 7700X are some of the best eight-core CPUs in the market. Both chips are set to offer some of the best price-to-performance for high-end gaming systems and can be worth considering for your next setup. However, which CPU would be the better deal?
Although the Ryzen 9000 chips set to debut next month and replace the Zen 4 alternative will be faster thanks to gen-on-gen IPC improvements, the Ryzen 7 7700X has been handsomely discounted these days. It can be bought for just $272, down from its launch MSRP of $399. The Ryzen 7 9700X most likely won't be this cheap, making both CPU options worth considering.
Let's dive into what the chips exactly offer to find out the answer.
NOTE: Parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer's opinion.
The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 7 7700X are some of the best mid-premium gaming chips
The AMD Ryzen 7 9700X sports the latest Zen 5 architecture. This 4 nm-based technology offers 16% extra performance across video games and productivity workloads. The overall DNA of the chip remains the same as the 7700X, and all performance gains are delivered via the latest silicon.
Specs comparison
On paper, both the Ryzen 7 9700X and 7700X are eight-core chips with sixteen threads. However, AMD has worked on the efficiency of the processors and now it features a much lower base clock than the last generation. The maximum boost clocks have gone up too: the 9700X can clock 100 MHz higher than the 7700X.
Other than this, the total amount of cache remains the same. However, the TDP of the chips is different — while the Ryzen 7 7700X is an enthusiast-grade processor with a maximum power draw of 105W, the newer 9700X targets a budget price point with a 65W power draw.
The detailed specs of the chips are as follows:
Performance comparison
Both the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and the 7700X are some of the fastest chips in the eight-core market. However, the latest chip offers some performance improvements thanks to the newest technology powering it.
We don't have exact details of the processors in the latest video games. However, scores achieved by the processors in synthetic benchmarks are already out. Below is a comparison of the two generations of processors.
The numbers have been sourced from Nanoreview.
*Based on leaked benchmark scores
Ryzen 7 9700X vs Ryzen 7 7700X: Final verdict
For now, it doesn't seem the latest 9700X will be a massive improvement over the last generation in gaming performance. For those on the 7700X, upgrading isn't the best choice given the single-core performance metrics aren't going up significantly. However, for someone rocking a 3700X or a 5700X, the new 9000 series chip might be worth buying.
However, multi-core performance uplifts are impressive. If you want your rig to double up as a workstation, the newer 9700X might be a much better option.
Check out other CPU comparisons from Sportskeeda:
- AMD Ryzen 9 5900XT vs Ryzen 9 5900X
- Ryzen 9000 vs Ryzen 7000 series: Price and performance compared
- Intel Core i9-14900K vs Ryzen 9 7900X