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CPU doesn't matter for 4k gaming, is that completely true?

Always prioritise the GPU over the CPU, with in reason.

A Ryzen 7700 paired with a 4090 would have been a better combination than what you got for 4K, yes.

The CPU only matters if its too slow to keep up with the GPU, if you're gaming at 4K any decent CPU will keep up no problem.

There is a halo effect around these X3D chips, for good reason they are faster for gaming than anything else but that doesn't make the none X3D chips obsolete, the Ryzen 7700 is a very capable CPU for gaming, no one is going to be unhappy with the frame rates it churns out unless what you're looking for is 300+ FPS gaming at 1080P, for everything else a good gaming CPU will do a good job, that what the 7700 / 9700 Ryzen's are.

yup I'm happy with my 7700. Cost less than £200. A X3d version is another couple of hundred quid

Means I can put aside the extra for the GPU, or spend on something else
 
Holy thread revival I made this in October 2023. As you can see in my Sig I've moved over to 4k OLED with a 7800x3d. Very happy with it and will not be updating the AM5 CPU after seeing the micro increase from the 9800x3d. So with that I've kinda answered my open question.
 
At 4K its nearly all on the GPU. Pretty much any 8 core modern CPU will be good enough to pair with a 4090/5090 level GPU. Yes there will be a few fps less in certain games and maybe a more obvious drop occasionally comparing a 7700X with a 9800X3D but you're far better off getting the best GPU you can afford (so a 4090 would have been a better choice than a 7900XTX with noticeably better frames) and pairing it with a 7700X rather than a 7800X3D or 9800X3D. That said the difference in price between a 7900XTX and a 4090 was more than the total cost of the 7800X3D so its a moot point.
 
At 4K its nearly all on the GPU. Pretty much any 8 core modern CPU will be good enough to pair with a 4090/5090 level GPU. Yes there will be a few fps less in certain games and maybe a more obvious drop occasionally comparing a 7700X with a 9800X3D but you're far better off getting the best GPU you can afford (so a 4090 would have been a better choice than a 7900XTX with noticeably better frames) and pairing it with a 7700X rather than a 7800X3D or 9800X3D. That said the difference in price between a 7900XTX and a 4090 was more than the total cost of the 7800X3D so its a moot point.
Very good points I agree. But I think the cost difference at the time for picking what I did with a 7800x3d and 7900xtx to what your saying with a 7700x with a 4090 was still out of my price range. I also wanted to have my first ever all AMD build.
 
Very good points I agree. But I think the cost difference at the time for picking what I did with a 7800x3d and 7900xtx to what your saying with a 7700x with a 4090 was still out of my price range. I also wanted to have my first ever all AMD build.
Yeah I might have done the same as you although I did get my 4090 when still rocking an ancient Intel 5960X so a very unbalanced system which I kept for a year before the 7800X3D allowed the 4090 to really stretch it's legs. The Intel 5960X IS NOT a modern 8 core CPU and the 7800X3D was a colossal improvement. I wouldn't go all 'all AMD or Nvidia or whoever build' out of some weird loyalty to a Global capitalist corporation but whatever works:)
 
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Some games like RTS games,MMOs,etc show their CPU limitations in 0.1% low framerates and latency spikes. So if you have a CPU limitation at 1080p,it will also show up at 4K as poor minimums.

This.

The fact is there are games out there which are more CPU dependant than GPU, that wont go away by increasing resolution. They do tend to be more niche, as mentioned MMO's, RTS, as well as the likes of city builders or 4X management. It isn't always the raw FPS you need to consider either, a mid-late game 4X title on a big map with a lot of AI opponents can take a ridiculous amount of time between turns and this is an element you rarely see benchmarked by tech sites.

You really need to take it as a case by case basis, if you're just a general AA/AAA gamer you probably don't need to worry about the extra L3. If you're into very specific types of games, or only really play one or two titles, you need to look at what they are because they may very well still benefit by a fair margin.

The 7600X3D for under £270 really isn't a terrible deal right now for people adopting AM5, and now that other UK outlets are starting to stock them we might well see prices decrease.
 
Depends on the GPU and the CPU. My friend just got a 5080 for a rig he built himself, and it performs really well but the CPU is underpowered and is holding back performance. So he's opted to get a better CPU. I think prioritising the GPU strength over the CPU is good within reason but the CPU shouldn't be neglected
 
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