expiredrutgersftw posted Nov 06, 2023 02:48 PM
Item 1 of 2
Item 1 of 2
expiredrutgersftw posted Nov 06, 2023 02:48 PM
Combo: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D + MSI B650-P PRO Motherboard + 32GB G.Skill DDR5-6000
+ Free Store Pickup$500
$668
25% offMicro Center
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The 7800x3d, and the 7950x3d, are the fastest gaming chips available. While technically the better binned 7950x3d can slightly beat the 7800x3d when the ccd parking functions properly, that chip is far more expensive and aimed at individuals who are doing both gaming and intensive productivity work. Additionally, in any case where the ccd parking isn't properly functional, the 7950x3d trails behind. The 7800x3d is an exceptionally low power and power efficient chip, when compared to the intel 13700k in gaming at 1080p with a rtx4090 the 7800x3d is 11% faster on average while consuming on average 100 fewer watts of power, which is an absolutely insane difference. The difference is even greater when compared to the 14700k, 13900k, and 14900k, which are even less efficient due to intel targeting clock speeds at the extremes of the v/f efficiency curve. The 7800x3d can be easily cooled with any good air cooler, I personally highly recommend the thermalright phantom spirit 120se (PS120SE) at ~$38. If your use case is only gaming, then the 7800x3d is by far the best upper midrange option on the market as it typically goes on sale for ~$350 (the best price ever was a brief microcenter sale at $330). Eight cores is entirely sufficient for current gen gaming, and while it's theoretically possible that games will gradually start being able to take advantage of additional cores over the next 5 years or so, the 7800x3d should remain highly competitive in gaming for years to come. If your use cases are more varied and cpu intensive than just gaming, then the 7800x3d becomes a significantly less compelling option. The 7800x3d has rather mediocre multithreaded performance, it's essentially a marginally slower 7700x when used for productivity. Intel cpus offer far greater multithreaded performance at the same price compared to any single ccd zen 4 cpu, so if productivity is a priority the 7800x3d isn't a good option.
The msi b650-p pro motherboard included in this bundle is acceptable, but it's a lower midrange board with several compromises. Here's a link to the specs page: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/P...cification
And here's a link to the manual: https://download.msi.co
First off, it entirely lacks pcie gen 5 support, which realistically isn't a big deal currently. However, considering one of the primary benefits of building an am5 system is being able to slot in a new cpu years down the line, 4+ years from now the lack of pcie gen5 might be of much greater concern. Pcie, m.2, and sata configurations should be acceptable for the majority of average users, though once again there's nothing particularly impressive. It has 2 pcie gen4 m.2 slots, though only one comes with a heatsink. The realtek alc897 is a cheap low end audio chip fairly common on low to midrange boards. It also lacks an integrated io shield, but does come with a separate one you can install. The networking is good, with realtek 2.5gb lan and intel wifi6e with bluetooth 5.3. Overall, it's an acceptable lower midrange board that I'd say is worth around $150 considering the prices you can find other comparable boards on sale for.
The ram is probably the biggest disappointment in this bundle. It's ddr5 6000 cl36 36-36-36-96 using samsung b-die memory chips. Zen 4 cpus are rather sensitive to memory timings, the current performance/value sweet spot is ddr5 6000 cl30. While this ram isn't awful, it's still something of a letdown, and will likely cost you a couple percentage points of performance. Samsung memory chips are inferior to hynix memory chips in just about every way, having worse compatibility, reliability, timings, and worse overclocking/tuning potential. If you are willing to manually tune your ram then the performance delta will actually be meaningful compared to manually tuned hynix ram. Ram using samsung memory chips have had compatibility issues with the am5 platform in the past, the latest agesa updates have supposedly fixed those compatibility issues. I highly recommend flashing the latest non-beta bios 7D78v17 which has agesa 1.0.0.7c before installing the cpu and ram. Instructions for flashing the bios without installing the cpu or ram can be found on page 54 of the manual.
Overall, this is a decent deal for a 7800x3d system, though it's not nearly as massive of a discount compared to the other bundles microcenter has listed. The cpu is worth around $350, the motherboard around $150, and the ram around $80 (you can find 32gb 2x16 ddr5 6000 cl30 for $90), so you save around $80 total compared to buying the components separately on acceptable sales. If you compare to the best sales we've seen it's more like a $50 savings. If you're only gaming, play at 1440p or below, and have a high enough end gpu that cpu bottlenecks are an issue, then this is your best option. If you wouldn't actually benefit from the additional gaming performance of this cpu the 7700x bundle is essentially the exact same for $100 cheaper. If you require high multithreaded performance for productivity, instead of only gaming, your best bet is to wait for the 13700k bundle to drop back down to $450, or preferably for the 7900x bundle to drop back down to $550. If you don't urgently need a new system now I'd wait a couple of months to see if this bundle ever drops in price, since microcenter bundles tend to occasionally go on sale for around $50 cheaper.
It's not rocket science, people...
I will say that the 14700K has a better mobo. PCIE 5.0 won't be important to a lot of people. But if it is, then the Intel deal is a damn good one!
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But all kidding a side. If you are going with a gpu and wanted gaming, go for the 7800x3d. Some programs love intel chips like video editing and video ai. You might save a lot of time, but those are night running during sleep wait time.
I hope that plex gets to work on ryzen for Av1 transcoding soon. I am pointing everyone else to intel for the server.
Caveat, if your bread and butter game/or app is better on Intel or AMD, choose accordingly...
Otherwise, 7950X3D and 13900k are kinda tied for performance, only difference is Intel uses on average 60% more power to get it done.(Not talking about gaming benchmarks(not that it matters), talking about long compiles,...) The implications for CPU cooler cost and noise, the minimum motherboard quality(VRM,...), raw electricity savings(over expected lifetime) and your AC bill during summer are all big. Today, you dont get Intel unless you have to.
As for the 7800X3D, while it seems more expensive, is an absolute power sipper. Im cooling my 7950X3D with the $40 Thermalright Phantom Spirit, forget thermal throttle, it never touched 80 during long stability torture test. During normal use it is whisper silent.
- You dont need a $100+ AIO water cooler for X3D. (unlike Intel, you could go overkill and get super all time quiet run).
- You dont need $200+ motherboard with outstanding VRMs to keep the CPU fed. Im running my 7950X3D on a ASRock 620i mini-itx board(just a good board, 8+2+1 VRM w/60 Caps, nothing special).
- all the heat/noise and electricity savings is a lot over the years.
- it is a single die chip with brute force of extra cache. The operating system and programs, now and in future do not need special knowledge to take advantage of it.
I recommend compile page [phoronix.com] and summary page [phoronix.com] of Phoronix's 7800X3D review. Or compile page [phoronix.com] and summary page [phoronix.com] of 14900k. The trends are so consistent.
Overall I think 7800x3d wins for more people than 14700k still. Use case should be the primary factor in my opinion. OP said use is mixed, but unless it means CPU intensive productivity work like compiling code everyday, there'll be no perceivable difference. But in gaming 7800x3d does make a noticeable difference, plus you save power. Secondary factors include Intel's better RAM stability, AMD's recent BIOS issues, and AM5 platform longevity but they all seem to be compromisable.
Overall I think 7800x3d wins for more people than 14700k still. Use case should be the primary factor in my opinion. OP said use is mixed, but unless it means CPU intensive productivity work like compiling code everyday, there'll be no perceivable difference. But in gaming 7800x3d does make a noticeable difference, plus you save power. Secondary factors include Intel's better RAM stability, AMD's recent BIOS issues, and AM5 platform longevity but they all seem to be compromisable.
Overall I think 7800x3d wins for more people than 14700k still. Use case should be the primary factor in my opinion. OP said use is mixed, but unless it means CPU intensive productivity work like compiling code everyday, there'll be no perceivable difference. But in gaming 7800x3d does make a noticeable difference, plus you save power. Secondary factors include Intel's better RAM stability, AMD's recent BIOS issues, and AM5 platform longevity but they all seem to be compromisable.
Personally I think the 14700k is the far better deal.
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However, X3D are enthusiast-focused CPUs, and enthusiast gear very rarely goes on sale. From that perspective, this is probably as good a deal as we will likely see this holiday season for this specific CPU. If the X3D's mix of FPS dominance and ultra high efficiency appeals to you, here it is. If not - the 7700X is at worst 85% of the performance in game and 100-120% the performance in productivity.
For comparison:
https://www.microcenter
https://www.microcenter
I'll be updating my system from a 9700k 1660super. Both had treated me very well for the past 6 years or so. The plan is to get a 4070/4070ti (unless super options came out). New PSU as well (850W probably).
Monitor is Alienware 2721D (1440p) at as much refresh I can get (max 240hz). Use is mixed.
Tia.
For comparison:
https://www.microcenter
https://www.microcenter
I'll be updating my system from a 9700k 1660super. Both had treated me very well for the past 6 years or so. The plan is to get a 4070/4070ti (unless super options came out). New PSU as well (850W probably).
Monitor is Alienware 2721D (1440p) at as much refresh I can get (max 240hz). Use is mixed.
Tia.
The 7800X3D is better for gaming and power efficency. The 14700k is better for productivity as it has more cores.
The 14700k is basically a space heater and uses like 1.5x (50% more) to 2x (100% more) electricity compared to the 7800x3d.
https://www.techpowerup
That much higher electric draw also means more heat and more noise (higher cooling fan speeds).
Moving on to actual motherboard recommendations, that really depends on your needs and the current prices. Unless you actually need a massive amount of pcie connectivity, which would be unusual for an individual purchasing a 7800x3d, a x670 motherboard is probably a waste of money. B650 vs b650e(extreme) is a more interesting debate. The primary difference is that b650e supports pcie gen 5 x16 while b650 only supports pcie gen 4 (a pcie gen5 m.2 slot is optional using the b650 chipset, however boards with that configuration typically have compromises). Pcie gen5 support is not very useful at this moment, so if you plan to upgrade within 5 years, and plan on replacing the motherboard with your next upgrade, then there's not much point in paying extra for a b650e board. If you plan on potentially slotting in a new cpu years down the line, then you will likely be on this board for at least 5 years and pcie gen5 support will likely actually be a meaningful addition. Likewise, if you plan on slotting in a new cpu in the future, I'd recommend getting a board with moderately overkill vrms so that it can handle future generations of cpus if they happen to be more power hungry (the key word being moderate, there's no need to go crazy). It should also be noted that, at least in my experience, microcenter typically doesn't have fantastic prices on (new) am5 motherboards outside of the bundles and you'll usually find better deals on amazon or newegg. I'd check other retailers as well instead of just blindly assuming that microcenter offers the best deals on motherboards like they do for many other products. Hardware unboxed has an excellent video reviewing 35 b650 and b650e boards, it should provide you with a good basis for choosing a board. Keep in mind that prices have shifted in the past several months, so do your research. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtHOOyW
The 7800x3d, and the 7950x3d, are the fastest gaming chips available. While technically the better binned 7950x3d can slightly beat the 7800x3d when the ccd parking functions properly, that chip is far more expensive and aimed at individuals who are doing both gaming and intensive productivity work. Additionally, in any case where the ccd parking isn't properly functional, the 7950x3d trails behind. The 7800x3d is an exceptionally low power and power efficient chip, when compared to the intel 13700k in gaming at 1080p with a rtx4090 the 7800x3d is 11% faster on average while consuming on average 100 fewer watts of power, which is an absolutely insane difference. The difference is even greater when compared to the 14700k, 13900k, and 14900k, which are even less efficient due to intel targeting clock speeds at the extremes of the v/f efficiency curve. The 7800x3d can be easily cooled with any good air cooler, I personally highly recommend the thermalright phantom spirit 120se (PS120SE) at ~$38. If your use case is only gaming, then the 7800x3d is by far the best upper midrange option on the market as it typically goes on sale for ~$350 (the best price ever was a brief microcenter sale at $330). Eight cores is entirely sufficient for current gen gaming, and while it's theoretically possible that games will gradually start being able to take advantage of additional cores over the next 5 years or so, the 7800x3d should remain highly competitive in gaming for years to come. If your use cases are more varied and cpu intensive than just gaming, then the 7800x3d becomes a significantly less compelling option. The 7800x3d has rather mediocre multithreaded performance, it's essentially a marginally slower 7700x when used for productivity. Intel cpus offer far greater multithreaded performance at the same price compared to any single ccd zen 4 cpu, so if productivity is a priority the 7800x3d isn't a good option.
The msi b650-p pro motherboard included in this bundle is acceptable, but it's a lower midrange board with several compromises. Here's a link to the specs page: https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/P...cification
And here's a link to the manual: https://download.msi.co
First off, it entirely lacks pcie gen 5 support, which realistically isn't a big deal currently. However, considering one of the primary benefits of building an am5 system is being able to slot in a new cpu years down the line, 4+ years from now the lack of pcie gen5 might be of much greater concern. Pcie, m.2, and sata configurations should be acceptable for the majority of average users, though once again there's nothing particularly impressive. It has 2 pcie gen4 m.2 slots, though only one comes with a heatsink. The realtek alc897 is a cheap low end audio chip fairly common on low to midrange boards. It also lacks an integrated io shield, but does come with a separate one you can install. The networking is good, with realtek 2.5gb lan and intel wifi6e with bluetooth 5.3. Overall, it's an acceptable lower midrange board that I'd say is worth around $150 considering the prices you can find other comparable boards on sale for.
The ram is probably the biggest disappointment in this bundle. It's ddr5 6000 cl36 36-36-36-96 using samsung b-die memory chips. Zen 4 cpus are rather sensitive to memory timings, the current performance/value sweet spot is ddr5 6000 cl30. While this ram isn't awful, it's still something of a letdown, and will likely cost you a couple percentage points of performance. Samsung memory chips are inferior to hynix memory chips in just about every way, having worse compatibility, reliability, timings, and worse overclocking/tuning potential. If you are willing to manually tune your ram then the performance delta will actually be meaningful compared to manually tuned hynix ram. Ram using samsung memory chips have had compatibility issues with the am5 platform in the past, the latest agesa updates have supposedly fixed those compatibility issues. I highly recommend flashing the latest non-beta bios 7D78v17 which has agesa 1.0.0.7c before installing the cpu and ram. Instructions for flashing the bios without installing the cpu or ram can be found on page 54 of the manual.
Overall, this is a decent deal for a 7800x3d system, though it's not nearly as massive of a discount compared to the other bundles microcenter has listed. The cpu is worth around $350, the motherboard around $150, and the ram around $80 (you can find 32gb 2x16 ddr5 6000 cl30 for $90), so you save around $80 total compared to buying the components separately on acceptable sales. If you compare to the best sales we've seen it's more like a $50 savings. If you're only gaming, play at 1440p or below, and have a high enough end gpu that cpu bottlenecks are an issue, then this is your best option. If you wouldn't actually benefit from the additional gaming performance of this cpu the 7700x bundle is essentially the exact same for $100 cheaper. If you require high multithreaded performance for productivity, instead of only gaming, your best bet is to wait for the 13700k bundle to drop back down to $450, or preferably for the 7900x bundle to drop back down to $550. If you don't urgently need a new system now I'd wait a couple of months to see if this bundle ever drops in price, since microcenter bundles tend to occasionally go on sale for around $50 cheaper.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
Caveat, if your bread and butter game/or app is better on Intel or AMD, choose accordingly...
Otherwise, 7950X3D and 13900k are kinda tied for performance, only difference is Intel uses on average 60% more power to get it done.(Not talking about gaming benchmarks(not that it matters), talking about long compiles,...) The implications for CPU cooler cost and noise, the minimum motherboard quality(VRM,...), raw electricity savings(over expected lifetime) and your AC bill during summer are all big. Today, you dont get Intel unless you have to.
As for the 7800X3D, while it seems more expensive, is an absolute power sipper. Im cooling my 7950X3D with the $40 Thermalright Phantom Spirit, forget thermal throttle, it never touched 80 during long stability torture test. During normal use it is whisper silent.
- You dont need a $100+ AIO water cooler for X3D. (unlike Intel, you could go overkill and get super all time quiet run).
- You dont need $200+ motherboard with outstanding VRMs to keep the CPU fed. Im running my 7950X3D on a ASRock 620i mini-itx board(just a good board, 8+2+1 VRM w/60 Caps, nothing special).
- all the heat/noise and electricity savings is a lot over the years.
- it is a single die chip with brute force of extra cache. The operating system and programs, now and in future do not need special knowledge to take advantage of it.
I recommend compile page [phoronix.com] and summary page [phoronix.com] of Phoronix's 7800X3D review. Or compile page [phoronix.com] and summary page [phoronix.com] of 14900k. The trends are so consistent.
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