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Boasting the new RDNA 3.0 architecture, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT are the fastest and second-fastest graphics cards from AMD. However, apart from a few dialed-up specs and a $100 price bump, the CPU compatibility of the two GPUs is actually quite similar. I have tested and reviewed a bunch of different CPUs from both Intel and AMD to compile my list of the Best CPUs for RX 7900 XTX & 7900 XT.
Here are my recommendations for the Best CPU For RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT:
Last Updated:
- September 17, 2024: After testing the Ryzen 5 9600X and Core i9-14900K, we have included them in our recommendation because they work great with both the RX 7900 XTX and the RX 7900 XT.
Make sure to go for the best variant of the two GPUs before you look into purchasing the right CPU:
Best CPU For RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT
Following are the Best CPUs for RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX that you can purchase:
- Best AMD: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- Best Intel: Core i7-13700K
- Best Budget: Ryzen 5 9600X
- Best High-End: Core i9-14900K
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Best AMD CPU for RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT
Socket: AMD AM5 | Cores: 8 | Threads: 16 | L2 Cache: 8MB | Base Clock: 4.2 GHz | Boost Clock: Up to 5.0 GHz | TDP: 120W
Pros
- Best Gaming CPU
- 96MB L3 Cache
Cons
- Locked Multiplier
- Average Productivity Benchmarks
- High Thermals
Read Our Ryzen 7 7800X3D Review
The Ryzen 7 7800X3D boasts 8 cores, 16 threads, and an impressive 96MB of L3 Cache, courtesy of its innovative 3D V-cache design. While it is regarded as one of the fastest gaming CPUs in the market, it does feature slightly reduced base and boost clock speeds at 4.2 GHz and 5.0 GHz, respectively. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D’s TDP rating sits at 120W, necessitating the need for a decent cooler to maintain safe temperatures. During my gaming tests, it achieved an average temperature of 63C, which is why a 280mm AIO is recommended for this CPU.
With the Ryzen 7 7800X3D’s excellent performance, you won’t feel the need to upgrade for a reasonably long time. The AM5 platform combined with DDR5 support also provides plenty of future upgradability; however, manual overclocking support is something you will miss out on.
What Makes It The Best AMD CPU for RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT?
The Radeon RX 7900 XTX and the RX 7900 XT are very gaming-centric graphics cards. As such, the best CPU for these graphics cards should also offer outstanding gaming performance. Therefore, the gaming performance of the Ryzen 7 7800X3D is what makes it the Best AMD CPU for RX 7900 XT & RX 7900 XTX.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 10/10 | Future Proofing: 9/10 |
Intel Core i7-13700K
Best Intel CPU for RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT
Socket: LGA1700 | Cores: 16 (8P + 8E) | Threads: 24 | L2 Cache: 24MB | Base Clock: 3.4 GHz (P-cores) | Boost Clock: Up to 5.4 GHz (P-cores) | TDP: 125W
Pros
- Great Overall Performance
- Offers Value For Money
- Overclocking Potential
Cons
- High Thermals
- High Power Consumption
Read Our Intel Core i7-13700K Review
The Core i7-13700K strikes the perfect balance between gaming and productivity performance. It houses 16 cores, split into 8 performance and 8 efficient cores, with 24 threads, which are complemented by the remarkable base and boost clock speeds of 3.4 GHz and 5.3 GHz on the P-cores. You will have to spend on a high-end AIO or custom liquid cooling setup to cool down the i7-13700K. To put it into perspective, I recorded a peak temperature of 76°C with the processor despite the use of a custom 1260mm AIO radiator, which shows how thermally inefficient the Core i7-13700K is.
The Core i7-13700K comes with support for both DDR4 and DDR5 RAM while also offering an upgrade path to Intel’s 14th gen offerings, in case you want a performance uplift. Being a “K” series chip, the i7-13700K can be overclocked with ease as long as you have a high-performance cooler to keep up with the processor.
Our hardware reviewer, Nauman Siddique, found the Core i7-13700K’s balanced performance to be its best aspect, stating:
“If you seek both gaming excellence and extra performance, the Core i7-13700K is the choice to make.”
What Makes It The Best Intel CPU for RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT?
The Core i7-13700K lived up to its name in all my tests. The processor performed exceptionally well in both gaming and productivity costs. Plus, its support for DDR4 and DDR5 RAM increases the overall appeal as well. All of these reasons and more make the i7-13700K the Best Intel CPU for RX 7900 XT & RX 7900 XTX.
- Best Cooler for Intel Core i7-13700K
- Best Motherboard for Intel Core i7-13700K
- Best RAM for Intel Core i7-13700K
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 9/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Future Proofing: 8/10 |
Ryzen 5 9600X
Best Budget CPU For RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT
Socket: AM5 | Cores: 6 | Threads: 12 | L2 Cache: 6MB | Base Clock: 3.90GHz | Boost Clock: Up to 5.40GHz | TDP: 65W
Pros
- Top-notch single-threaded performance
- Outstanding power efficiency and thermal performance
- New curve shaper feature
- Decent overclocking performance
Cons
- Unimpressive multi-threaded performance
- No improvements in gaming performance
AMD’s latest Ryzen 9000 series CPUs have garnered much attention, bringing incredible thermal and power efficiency boosts. The Ryzen 5 9600X is similar, boasting six cores, 12 threads, and a low 65W TDP. So, with the lower TDP, the CPU was 36.7% more power efficient during our performance benchmarking than the Ryzen 5 7600X. Similarly, the processor was also 21°C cooler (or 34.4% cooler) than its predecessor.
Aside from these gains, the Ryzen 5 9600X doesn’t show any substantial improvements in gaming performance, even with the Windows 11 24H2 update. Therefore, although the CPU sees phenomenal improvements in one sector, it’s not the best future-proof option if you’re upgrading from a Ryzen 7000 series processor. However, I’m still happy with the processor’s performance, especially considering its price.
Here’s what our hardware reviewer, Usman Saleem, commented in his review of the Ryzen 5 9600X:
The Ryzen 5 9600X emerges as the new mid-ranger from AMD’s lineup, but not as the ideal one. It shows great single-core performance numbers and supports AVX-512 but is limited heavily by reduced power targets and clock speeds. This does mean that power and thermal efficiency are great, but gaming performance numbers have barely improved over the last gen, and AMD continues to trail Intel in multi-threaded performance.
What Makes It The Best Budget CPU For RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT?
The Ryzen 5 9600X is a great processor for its price, requiring less power and cooling capabilities. It has top-notch single-threaded performance and showcases decent overclocking headroom, making it the best budget CPU for the RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT graphics cards. If you’re looking for efficiency, this CPU is perfect for you.
| Performance: 8/10 | Value: 10/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Future Proofing: 8/10 |
Intel Core i9-14900K
Best High-End CPU For RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT
Socket: LGA1700 | Cores: 24 (8P + 16E) | Threads: 32 | L2 Cache: 32MB | Base Clock: 3.2 GHz (P-cores) | Boost Clock: Up to 5.8 GHz (P-cores) | TDP: 125W
Pros
- Unparalleled Productivity Performance
- Excellent Gaming Performance
Cons
- Very Expensive
- Needs High-End Cooler
- High Power Consumption
The processor comes with 8-P and 16-E cores, which brings its total core count to 24. Combine that with its 32 threads, and you get a processor that does not break a sweat in both intensive single-core and multi-core workloads. The P-cores can reach up to an extraordinary 5.8 GHz frequency, further adding to its performance. The i9-14900K is the hottest CPU I have tested, which means cooling the processor can be a challenge. With a base power of 125W, the i9-14900K can draw north of 253W at intensive workloads. so you will have to go with a top-tier AIO or a custom cooling setup to tame this beast.
Whether it was productivity benchmarks or gaming, the processor nailed every workload I threw at it and handled it with perfection, making it the ideal processor for anyone looking for a future-proof option.
What Makes It The Best High-End CPU For RX 7900 XTX & RX 7900 XT?
The specs on paper, the productivity benchmarks, and the gaming performance, everything about the i9-14900K make it the Best High-End CPU For RX 7900 XT & RX 7900 XTX.
| Performance: 10/10 | Value: 7/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Future Proofing: 9/10 |
Our Tested Gaming Benchmarks
Both the RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT are fantastic graphics cards for gaming. Therefore, the processors I am recommending should also pack enough performance to complement these high-end GPUs. I tested these processors through various productivity software and games to gauge them based on their performance, temperatures, and power consumption. These tests helped me recommend the best CPUs for RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX.
Important CPU Key Terms
There are many technicalities revolving around CPUs. Here are a few key terms to look out for whenever you’re searching for a CPU:
- Cores: The actual execution of tasks and computation falls on the cores’ shoulders. A good gaming CPU should have 8 or more cores.
- Threads: Applications or programs issue logical instructions known as threads to the CPU cores for execution.
- Multi-Threading: Multi-Threading (AMD) or Hyper-Threading (Intel) allows a single CPU core to execute two or more threads simultaneously.
- Cache: The cache is a little chunk of quick memory that is permanently attached to the CPU die. The cache is divided into three levels: L1, L2, and L3. L1 cache is the fastest and closest to the CPU, but it also has the smallest capacity.
- Clock Speed: The amount of data cycles a processor can perform in a second is known as its clock speed. The base clock is the speed at which the processor will operate at all times, and the boost clock is the speed at which it will operate under high workloads.
- TDP: The amount of heat generated by a processor is called its TDP. The TDP number indicates the type of CPU cooler you need. The higher the TDP, the more heat the CPU will generate, and hence, you will need a bigger cooler.
- Overclocking: By giving additional power to the CPU, you can have it run at clock speeds higher than its stock settings.
Specs Comparison Table
| CPU | Cores | Threads | L2 Cache (MB) | Base Clock (GHz) | Boost Clock (GHz) | TDP (W) | Average 1080p Gaming (FPS) | Average Gaming Power Consumption (W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryzen 7 7800X3D | 8 | 16 | 8 | 4.2 | 5.0 | 120 | 231 | 47 |
| i7-13700K | 16 | 24 | 24 | 3.4 | 5.4 | 125 | 210 | 109 |
| Ryzen 5 9600X | 6 | 12 | 6 | 3.90 | 5.40 | 65 | 197 | 52 |
| i9-14900K | 24 | 32 | 32 | 3.2 | 5.8 | 125 | 219.2 | 145 |
How We Tested These CPUs
To ensure that the CPU I recommend you are undoubtedly the best for these graphics cards, I tested them over several factors.
- Performance: I ran several gaming and productivity tests to judge the performance of each CPU. This way, I had a clear picture in mind as to which processors pack the necessary performance to go with the RX 7900 XTX/XT. Similarly, whenever you’re buying a processor, make sure to search for its benchmarks and tests to analyze its performance.
- Value For Money: If you are ever in the market for processors, make sure to do thorough research into similarly priced processors and compare them based on their performance and other stats. This way, you will get the best bang for the buck CPU.
- Power Consumption and Thermal Efficiency: High power consumption equates to high temperature, which ultimately means more AIO expenses. Well, if you are after a performance-centric build, then there is not really an escape from high temps, and you will have to go for a good quality CPU cooler.
- Overclocking: I also tested the overclocking potential of my recommended processors. I overclocked these processors to determine the maximum stable clock speeds I could achieve, and now you also have an idea of how much performance you can get out of your CPU.
FAQs
Processors like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D and the Core i7-13700K are the best for RX 7900 XT/XTX. If you are after a budget CPU, then the i5-13600K is also a good choice.
If you are building a gaming PC with the latest AMD graphics cards like the RX 7900 XT or the RX 7900 XTX, then you should go with at least the Ryzen 7 5800X3D.
The Core i5-13600K and the Ryzen 7 5800X3D won’t bottleneck the RX 7900 XTX/XT.
Also Read:
- Best CPU For RTX 4090
- Best CPU For RTX 4080
- Best CPU For Gaming
- Best CPU For Streaming
- Best CPU For Video Editing
Recent Updates
- April 1, 2024: Based on my testing, I have included the Cinebench R23 score, 1080p gaming performance, and average power consumption of my picks.
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[Hardware Expert]
With a major in Computer Science, Sameed is a tech enthusiast who puts his passion for gadgets into words and creates informative blogs. From comparing different hardware to reviewing the best RAMs, motherboards, and graphics cards for your next build, Sameed has covered a wide spectrum of topics that have given him a special insight into every nook and cranny of the tech world. Sameed is also a certified expert at Computer Hardware & Networking.
Get In Touch: sameed@tech4gamers.com
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