The urge to see frame rates reaching triple digits at the corner of the screen is real, but the CPU often becomes the biggest limiting factor when hitting high FPS at 1080p. Seeing those 30%+ gains with the same GPU when switching from one processor to another can seem intimidating, but benchmarks shouldn't always be viewed that way. Individual goals don't always align with what third-party reviews highlight, particularly when the majority of gamers won't be buying a high-end GPU like an RTX 5080 or 5090 for 1080p gaming.
There is no doubt about Ryzen 9800X3D's gaming capabilities, but paying $479 for a CPU alone doesn't seem sensible when all you want is consistent 60 FPS at 1080p. Unless you really want to feel those 300+ FPS on your high-refresh-rate monitor, or you really count on every frame as a key to winning your matches, you should stop throwing your money on high-end processors. If you just want to enjoy gaming instead of keeping an eye on the Frame Rates all the time, stressing over every small frame drop, it's better to skip the 9800X3D and opt for a balanced CPU-GPU combo at the same price instead.
Skip the Ryzen 9800X3D if All You Need is Smooth 1080p Gaming
Let's be honest here; you don't need to buy the 9800X3D for "good" 1080p gaming performance. Although this is technically the best CPU for 1080p, most aren't willing to spend nearly $500 on a CPU when they are limited to a much lower budget for the GPU. Most gamers who reserve $500 for the CPU will likely buy a high-end GPU, aiming for smooth gaming performance at higher resolutions.
We know the benchmark graphs can be convincing, but the configurations used in professional testing aren't exactly realistic since no one in their right mind would pair a budget GPU like RTX 5060 with Ryzen 9800X3D. So, if 1080p sweet spot gaming is your goal, instead of spending nearly $500 on the CPU, you can buy both the CPU and GPU within this budget, and you can still achieve 60+ FPS on ultra settings (assuming you know exactly what you need to buy).
Here are Some Excellent 1080p CPU-GPU Combos You Can Have For $479 (or less)
Ryzen 5 7500F + RTX 5060 8 GB ~ $460
The Ryzen 7500F is underrated, but it does its job pretty well, just like its bigger siblings. This 6-core/12-thread processor is an ultimate solution for gamers who want to get started with the AM5 platform without investing too much money. AMD may have launched even cheaper variants, but they will take their time to reach the market; however they have their own caveats. The Ryzen 5 7500F will take care of your gaming needs, offering competitive performance at just around $150.
Simply pairing it with the latest GeForce RTX 5060 8 GB card will ensure you keep up with the modern gaming demands for 1080p resolution, and you will still be spending less than what you would pay for the 9800X3D. Moreover, you won't have to buy a discrete cooling solution, since the 7500F ships with a Wraith Stealth cooler.
As far as performance goes, this configuration will ensure 60+ FPS in almost every title (exceptions are always there) on ultra settings, but some games might be more demanding in terms of video memory. That's where the RTX 5060 may disappoint, but such scenarios are still quite few. Overall, this combo will save you a good amount of money when building a PC from scratch, since you don't need an aftermarket cooler, and you can settle for a cheap B840 chipset motherboard (Though PCIe 4.0 may impact performance).
- AMD Ryzen 5 7500F: Buy on Newegg for $158
- GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 5060 WindForce OC 8G: Buy on Amazon for $298
Ryzen 5 7600X + RX 9060 XT 8 GB ~ $450
This one is a small step up from the previous configuration, but it's even cheaper. However, you will need to buy an aftermarket CPU cooler for the processor since the Ryzen 7600X doesn't ship with a stock heatsink. If that's not a big problem for you, then the 7600X will be noticeably faster in not just gaming, but in non-gaming tasks as well. The performance difference in gaming may not be very noticeable since we are still going to pair it with a similarly powerful budget GPU as the RTX 5060. This time, it's the Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB, a direct competitor to the GeForce RTX 5060 for somewhat cheaper.
Currently, some editions of the RX 9060 XT 8 GB can be found for $20-$30 lower price, and that's what makes the Ryzen 7600X more affordable. Both RX 9060 XT and RTX 5060 are in the same league, and you won't be wrong if opting for either. The Radeon RX 9060 XT offers you the latest FSR 4 and Frame Generation, while the RTX 5060 offers slightly better upscaler called DLSS 4 with Transformer model and both Frame Generation and Multi-Frame Generation. Hence, the RTX 5060 may have an upper hand in a few scenarios, but then you will have to stick with the 7500F due to the higher cost. Also, if you prefer better productivity over additional upscaling features, you will be better with the 7600X+RX 9060 XT combo.
- AMD Ryzen 5 7600X: Buy on Amazon for $179
- PowerColor Reaper Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB: Buy on Amazon for $269
Core i5 12400F+ RX 9060 XT 16 GB ~ $495
If you want no compromises, then you must get the 16 GB edition of the Radeon RX 9060 XT. That said, it's going to cost you almost $70-$80 more than the 8 GB edition, considering the current pricing trends. The RX 9060 XT 16 GB has very high demand, particularly because it offers the sweet spot gaming experience at both 1080p and 1440p resolution, thanks to its twice the VRAM capacity. Games now gobble up memory like Chrome, and that's something that the 8 GB cards can't keep up with.
The only caveat is that you have to settle with the three-generation-old Core i5 12400F processor, which, even though is slower than the modern Intel and AMD chips, won't make a huge difference. In many cases, the performance difference shouldn't be noticeable, and on the other hand, the 16 GB GPU will be showing its advantage over both 8 GB cards we suggested above. Another thing to keep in mind is that the path to upgradeability will be almost none since you won't have huge uplifts transitioning from 12th to 14th generation, and LGA 1700 has already reached its end. Still, if your primary goal is to keep your system capable of running games at 1080p for a few years, it's not going to hurt in any way.
- Intel Core i5 12400F: Buy on Amazon for $116
- Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 9060 XT Gaming OC 16GB: Buy on Amazon for $379
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