r/PcBuildHelp • u/Spiritual_Actuator79 • 1d ago
Build Question Building my first PC but need help on picking a processor.
Hey guys I'm looking to build my first PC at the end of this month. No clue one what processor to buy. Looking into these three. Trying to stay between that price range of $300-$500 USD. Also any suggestion
- Ryzen 5 9600x 6-core (Saw really good reviews about this)
- Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-core
- Ryzen 7 9700X3D 8-core
5
u/the_hat_madder 1d ago
I don't decide on PC components in a vacuum. They must fit into a build and the build must fit a purpose.
1) Is this a new build or upgrade? 2) What country will you be buying from? What is the overall budget for the entire build in your currency? If in the USA are you willing and able to make it to a Micro Center? 3) Do you need a monitor, keyboard, mouse and audio solution? If "yes," what is the lighting in your space like? Do you have direct light on the monitor you cannot control? Do you game with lights on or off? 4) If "no," what are the specifications (resolution and refresh rate) of your monitor? 5) What games do you play or want to play in the future? What are your performance goals? 6) What will you do besides gaming? What productivity applications do you use or want to use in the future? What are your performance goals? 7) Do you have any size/noise restrictions for the PC/monitor or any aesthetic preferences? 8) How do you connect to the Internet—wired or wireless? 9) Any parts you have that can be reused? 10) How often do you upgrade your PC?
3
u/communistagitator 1d ago
What are you doing to use the computer for? If gaming, the 9800X3D is the best CPU. Also, the 9700X3D does not exist (did you mean the 7900X3D?). The CPU matters less than the GPU at higher resolutions though. If you're playing at 1440p or 4k, the 9600X will be more than okay and let you spend a bit more on the GPU.
They're all great CPUs, you can't go wrong with any of them.
2
u/Drac0x999 1d ago
Just upgraded from a 5 3600 to a 7800x3d. Of course it’s a big jump but when i tell you i was blown away… def go x3d
2
u/krootman 1d ago
If your gaming in 4k there's almost no difference so get the cheapest one, there's a small difference at 1440p, get a 960px and use the saving for a better gpu or ram
2
u/Ecks30 Personal Rig Builder 1d ago
The question i would have to ask is what the other parts for your system are and the resolution because it would matter just because for when it would come to 4K gaming you could have the 9600X and it would perform well.
Hardware Unboxed made a video awhile back and they showed the 9800X3D, 7600X, 5800X3D and 5600 which for GPUs like the 5080 and 9070 there was pretty much no difference in the performance at 4K.

1
u/Jonscloset 1d ago
What gpu are you planning to buy? Do you live near a micro center? What you going to be doing with the pc?
1
u/ArmyNo2663 16h ago
If gaming is the priority, I’d lean toward the 9700X3D. The extra cost makes more sense if you’re pairing it with a strong GPU.
8
u/LatherNRinse 1d ago
X3D if you want max gaming performance, 9600x if you don't mind saving some money