PC of the month (September 2024)

September turned out to be a surprisingly warm month, and the ambient temperature was further raised by hot news ahead of the launch of Intel’s new desktop platform, post-launch optimizations for Ryzen 9000, and manufacturers’ plans for the next generations of discrete graphics. Analyzing the information overload, we highlight the most important points to help you choose the best gaming system configurations as part of the traditional PC of the Monthsection. When should you take a break and wait for new components to appear, and in what cases can you not postpone building a powerful system until better times?

Basic gaming PC of the month ($600-750)

Gaming monitor for the “Basic Gaming PC” from our partner MSI

 

With a 1920×1080 resolution and a response time of just 1ms, the MSI MAG 256F delivers a superior gaming experience for entry-level systems. The 24.5-inch display features 127% sRGB color gamut, 180Hz refresh rate, and thin bezels. 

MSI MAG 256F gaming monitor

Processors and motherboards. For entry-level gaming configurations on Intel, everything remains unchanged for now. For systems in this category, the 6-core Core i5-12400F (6/12; 2.5/4.4 GHz) is a great choice, which even in a retail configuration with a simple cooler can be purchased for the equivalent of $120. The difference with the Tray variant in this case is minimal ($5-10), so we recommend the BOX version with a 3-year manufacturer’s warranty and a bundled cooler. There are no alternatives to this Intel CPU in this price category. Unless you decide to buy a version of the chip with active integrated graphics – Core i5-12400 (6/12; 2.5/4.4 GHz).

A good idea in the face of a potential deterioration in power supply conditions. But unfortunately, you’ll have to pay $155-160 for the version with an activated iGPU. When an additional $25-30 “unlocks” integrated graphics on top-end processors, it’s one thing, but for a budget CPU, it increases the price of the chip by almost a third, so you have to weigh the pros and cons.

The pursuit of the most affordable options will surely lead to the Core i3-12100F (4/8; 3.3/4.3 GHz). Indeed, the opportunity to buy a processor for the equivalent of ~$85 is quite attractive when it comes to budget systems. But still, 4-core chips have already passed the stage for gaming configurations. This is possible if your list of “work projects” includes only games with low processor performance requirements, but we no longer rely on Core i3 as a universal CPU for all cases.

When choosing a platform for a basic gaming system, we advise you to pay attention to motherboards with Intel B760 chipset. The most affordable modifications on this PCH can be purchased for as little as $75, but it is better to increase the budget to ~$100. Among the devices for this amount, there are already versions with VRM power assemblies cooling, two M.2 ports, and generally better equipment. In terms of functionality, Intel B660 boards are also quite suitable, but their range has recently shrunk significantly, so there is no point in trying to find such models. As a reminder, boards based on B-series chipsets already allow the use of faster RAM kits, not limited to the mode specified by Intel in the processor specifications (DDR4-3200).

We expect the announcement of a new Intel LGA1851 desktop platform and Arrow Lake-S chips soon. However, for the category of basic gaming systems, the initial stage of the LGA1851 launch will pass by. The list of launch CPUs includes only enthusiast models, as well as the corresponding motherboards based on the top Intel Z890 chipset. Further expansion of the lineup is expected at the January CES 2025 exhibition. Of course, it will take some time for the new products to appear on sale and for the initial price collapse to subside. Therefore, according to optimistic scenarios, it will be possible to consider quality options here only in 4-6 months. This is assuming that Intel’s current plans are not revised. The company is currently going through one of the most difficult stages of reorganization, so changes in priorities and timing of planned products are not excluded.

For basic AMD gaming configurations, the combination of Ryzen 5 5600 (6/12; 3.5/4.4 GHz; 32 MB L3) with a motherboard based on the AMD B550 chipset looks balanced. The six-core chip in the retail version can be purchased for ~$120, while tray versions of this model are already offered from $105. If you are interested in processors with integrated graphics, then, unfortunately, the Vermeer line for Socket AM4 does not offer such options. Therefore, if you prioritize the presence of an iGPU, you will have to look at models of the Cezanne family.

Among the potentially interesting in this context are Ryzen 5 5600G (6/12; 3.9/4.4 GHz; 16 MB L3), Ryzen 5 5600GT (6/12; 3.6/4.6 GHz; 16 MB L3) and Ryzen 5 5500GT (6/12; 3.6/4.4 GHz; 16 MB L3). All three 6-core models have very similar capabilities and actually differ only in the CPU frequency formula. Therefore, you should focus solely on the current retail price. Oddly enough, the “turbocharged” GT modifications, which were introduced earlier this year, are already offered cheaper than their predecessor. Ryzen 5 5500GT can be purchased for the same $115-120. At the same time, you should carefully check the delivery version and price – by coincidence, Ryzen 5 5500GT in a BOX package with a cooler is offered even slightly cheaper than the Tray version.

However, we emphasize that all modifications of Cezanne chips are an alternative in case integrated graphics are extremely important. If you rely on discrete graphics cards, the Ryzen 5 5600 is a better option due to its slightly higher processing power, 32 MB L3, and PCI Express 4.0 support.

In the case of basic systems based on the AMD platform, a viable “plan B” with the transition to Socket AM5 suddenly appeared. In early September, the price of 6-core Ryzen 5 8400F chips (6/12; 4.2/4.7 GHz; 16 MB L3) significantly decreased, and this model appeared in MPK configuration. In fact, this is a Tray version of the processor in a transparent blister plus a standard cooler (Wraith Stealth) in the package. That is, the only difference from the retail BOX version is that the MPK kit is offered without convenient cardboard packaging, but it also has a 3-year AMD warranty. Nominally, these kits are intended for PC manufacturers, but as we can see, they are also available for retail sale.

So, we have Ryzen 5 8400F for ~$130-135. This is currently the most affordable processor for the Socket AM5 platform. The model belongs to the Phoenix hybrid line, but with integrated graphics disabled. In this case, the chip, of course, loses all its “hybridity” and turns into a classic CPU. The Ryzen 5 8400F is a derivative of the Ryzen 5 8600G and is equipped with six cores with Zen 4 architecture. That is, there is no question of the presence of more compact Zen4c cores operating at lower operating frequencies. A combination with similar computers is used, for example, in the Ryzen 5 8500G (2×Zen 4 + 4×Zen4c), but the Ryzen 5 8400F has all Zen 4 cores. The processor is also equipped with 16 MB of third-level cache (L3) and provides for the use of PCI-E 4.0 x8 mode for connecting a discrete graphics card.

Obviously, the single-crystal Ryzen 5 8400F is inferior in performance to the Ryzen 5 7500F (6/12; 3.7/5.0 GHz; 32 MB L3) with a chiplet structure and 32 MB L3, but the latter costs ~$40-50 more. But the “versus” between Ryzen 5 8400F and Ryzen 5 5600 can be much more interesting.

What other features of Ryzen 5 8400F should you know before buying? Cezanne chips use a heat-conductive paste rather than soldering. In addition, the protective cover itself is slightly thicker than the Ryzen 7000 chips to be compatible with the AM5 mount. As a result, this complicates the process of heat dissipation directly from the crystal, so you should be prepared for higher CPU temperatures. We have already mentioned the presence of PCI-E x8 for connecting a video card, but support for the PCI-E 4.0 bus version will probably not affect the fps in games, as it would be the case with PCI-E 3.0 x8.

With the advent of the Socket AM5 platform, motherboards with the new processor socket have been much more expensive than AM4 models with similar functionality for quite some time. Initially, the reason was the more complex implementation of PCI-E 5.0 and DDR5, which required additional manufacturing costs. What do we see two years after the AM5 announcement? The most affordable AMD A620 boards cost from $70, and models based on the more functional AMD B650 can already be purchased for ~$100. This is basically the same level as with AMD B550 (AM4) boards. It is among the B650 solutions that you should choose a suitable model if you still decide to build a basic configuration on Socket AM5. I would like to emphasize the definition of the “new Socket AM5 platform” here, but it was introduced back in September 2022, which is two years ago.

Another significant obstacle on the way of Socket AM5 solutions to the recommended basic configurations was DDR5 RAM. Modules of this standard are still significantly more expensive than DDR4 strips, although the difference has been significantly reduced. While a 16GB dual-channel DDR4-3600 kit (2×8GB) can be purchased for the equivalent of about $40, a DDR5-5600 kit of this capacity will cost at least $60. The relative difference is one and a half times, but in absolute terms it is already $20. Against the background of the total cost of a PC, the difference is less fundamental.

As a result, the “Ryzen 5 5600 + AMD B550 + 16 GB DDR4-3600” set will cost ~$260, and the “Ryzen 5 8400F + AMD B650 + 16 GB DDR5-5600” set can already be purchased for ~$290. In general, Socket AM4 is still alive and well, and the manufacturer continues to release updated chip modifications, although it looks more like an attempt to fill the price gap. Obviously, we won’t see anything better than Ryzen 7 5700X3D/5800X3D here. But this is a very decent level and a great benchmark for a possible future upgrade of a basic gaming PC. How about the opportunity to buy a 16-core 32-threaded Ryzen 9 5950X for ~$320?

As for the AM5 solution, the prospects are potentially even more encouraging. AMD has assured that it will support this platform at least until 2027, so it is obvious that we will see chips with Zen 6 architecture on AM5. The proposed “budget” kit is certainly not flawless. For example, questions remain about the availability of only two memory module slots on the most affordable boards. Therefore, if you want to increase the RAM capacity to 32 GB, you will have to replace the existing modules.

The number of 16GB (2×8GB) kits in the case of DDR5 is very limited. And due to the peculiarities of accessing memory banks, such modules usually offer slightly lower bandwidth. Of course, 32 GB is desirable for a gaming system of any class even at the start, but for DDR5 it is already at least $100 for a dual-channel set. DDR4-3600 32 GB (2×16 GB) kits are offered from $60.

Video cards. Despite NVIDIA’s plans to end the production of GPUs for GeForce RTX 3060 graphics cards, the available range of models in this line is still quite wide. However, according to certain user sentiments and traffic to the relevant pages on price aggregators, there is already an increase in interest/demand for GeForce RTX 4060 8GB.

It seems that the community has accepted the fact that a kind of unique offer from NVIDIA with 12 GB of memory on board will become history in some time. The successor undoubtedly has its advantages (much more economical, +10-15% performance, DLSS 3 support), but in this case, you will have to count on “only” 8 GB of memory. However, it’s fair to say that in Full HD mode with the settings that are relevant to the RTX 4060, the available 8 GB will usually be quite enough.

If you are sure that 12 GB is worth choosing a previous-generation graphics card, you still have time to choose the right model. Otherwise, go for the GeForce RTX 4060 8GB. Of course, let’s not forget about the Radeon RX 7600 8 GB. It is also a great option for a basic gaming configuration. Especially if video cards of this line are offered for $280-290 as opposed to GeForce RTX 4060 for ~$320.

Optimal gaming PC of the month ($1200-1400)

 

Gaming monitor for the “Optimal Gaming PC” from our partner MSI

 

The 27-inch MSI MAG 275QF gaming monitor with 2560×1440 Rapid IPS matrix, 180Hz refresh rate, and 0.5ms G-t-G response time provides an optimal gaming experience and vivid, rich images.

MSI MAG 275QF gaming monitor

On the optimal Intel platform, we return to the Core i5-12600KF (6/12 + 4; 3.7/4.9 GHz + 2.8/3.6 GHz; 20 MB L3) instead of the Core i5-13400F/14400F. Well, we can’t help but take advantage of the opportunity when a processor of this level is offered for ~$175. Yes, in the basic version it has higher power consumption than nominally 65-watt models. But this is all due to the increased operating frequencies and, accordingly, higher performance. In addition, the difference in consumption in games will not be so significant.

If necessary, it is much easier to further reduce the power appetite of this chip than to accelerate the Core i5-13400F/14400F. The latter remain an option if you have an overwhelming desire to equip your PC with more expensive and slower CPUs that consume less power under a simultaneous load on all cores. If you have the skills to go into the BIOS and change a few options, Core i5-12600KF is the way to go. In addition, Intel has assured that none of the 12th-generation Core chips have problems with stability. This is also an argument. Although, to be honest, the Core i5-13400F/14400F models are also on the list of potentially problem-free ones. Is it because, despite their names, these are actually Alder Lake chips with rebranding and adjustments to frequency formulas? We’ve seen this before.

If you need to equip your PC with a processor with integrated graphics, you’ll have to look at the Core i5-12600K. And this is already ~$215. The $40 difference here is quite unpleasant. This money would be better spent on a cooling system, because the Core i5-12600K/KF versions are shipped without coolers.

If you think that a 10-core processor will not be enough for your work tasks, or you want to provide an additional performance margin for resource-intensive projects, the Core i7-12700KF (8/16+4; 3.6/5.0 GHz + 2.7/3.8 GHz; 25 MB L3) is also a very interesting offer now. The price of this model has been at the level of ~$350 for a long time. In the spring of this year, there was a breakdown and the price gradually began to decline. During this period, the processor fell by almost $100. At the current price of ~$250, this is a very attractive offer, if you don’t mind the fact that the model belongs to the 12th generation Core chips. Although all things considered, this is more of an advantage than a disadvantage.

Two more productive cores, higher operating frequencies, and 5 MB more third-level cache. All of these are components of increased performance compared to that of the Core i5-12600KF. Even in games, you can count on +5-7%. But the power consumption level of this model is even higher, so you should decide whether this is a real need or an option for the future. For the Core i7-12700K version with activated graphics, you’ll have to pay $20 more – ~$270.

Even if you don’t plan to overclock the chips, which is logical given the energy circumstances, when choosing a motherboard, you should pay attention to models with a sufficiently powerful power subsystem. In such cases, additional cooling of VRM elements is not even an option – it is mandatory. A model based on Intel B760 for ~$150 with an effective stabilizer, several ports for M.2 drives, and a welcome bonus in the form of a Wi-Fi module will fully satisfy your basic needs. Once again, we emphasize the point that further overclocking of processors is not foreseen (not yet). If you are considering such a possibility in theory, you should already choose a board based on the Intel Z790 chipset and spend extra money on a good cooling system.

As with the basic configurations, the upcoming announcement of Intel’s desktop platform will also leave out the best gaming systems. The reason is identical – LGA1851 starts with top-end processors and motherboards that do not fall into the category of mid-range systems in terms of price. So here, too, the “Arrow Lake holiday” will begin early next year, when the line of new chips will expand, and with them more affordable Intel B860 boards will go on sale. However, we definitely have no regrets in this regard. With decent 10/12-core 12th Gen Core models available at very reasonable prices, potential newcomers will still have to be surprised by something to get into the recommended configurations.

With the AMD platform in this category, everything is quite trivial. We are sure that you can do without integrated graphics – Ryzen 5 7500F (6/12; 3.7/5.0 GHz; 32 MB L3). The base chip of the Ryzen 7000 line has recently added $10-15 (~$185) to the price for some reason, but this does not affect its position. If you want to play it safe and get a model with an iGPU, you can get Ryzen 5 7600 (6/12; 3.8/5.1 GHz; 32 MB L3), which is offered from $195. Given the minimal difference in cost between the two models, it’s easier to make a choice in favor of Ryzen 5 7600. The additional 100 MHz to the operating frequency formula is not essential, but it’s worth paying a little extra for the opportunity to get integrated graphics.

If you need even more computing power in multi-threaded mode, you can look at Ryzen 7 7700 (8/16; 3.8/5.3 GHz; 32 MB L3). The eight-core model will cost as much as $280, but if you are satisfied with the tray variant, you can find offers for as little as $250 among the promotional lots. This is already a worthy opponent for the Core i7-12700K, and both processors are in the same price category.

As expected, at the end of August, AMD officially introduced Ryzen 5 7600X3D (6/12; 4.1/4.7 GHz; 96 MB L3) with an additional L3 buffer. But, just like last time, 6-core processors with 3D V-Cache became exclusive to certain trading platforms. For the US market, this is again MicroCenter, and in Europe, the German Mindfactory chain has been granted the privilege of offering this model. It’s still hard to say whether these chips will become more widely available in the future, but for now, we can probably mention the recommended price. At MicroCenter, the processor is offered for $300, and at Mindfactory, it costs €329.

Practical tests show that in games, the Ryzen 5 7600X3D is 8% inferior to the 8-core Ryzen 7 7800X3D, but several percent ahead of the Ryzen 9 7900X3D and Ryzen 7 9700X chips. There is something to this, but the price of the processor is also considerable.

For the same reason, we do not consider the Ryzen 5 9600X option for recommended gaming configurations. The processor has been on sale for quite some time now, but the current ~$325-330 seems like an unreasonable price for a 6-core processor. Especially in the presence of Ryzen 5 7500F/7600, which are only a few percent inferior to the newcomer in games, while being almost half the price. It’s even hard to find any arguments in favor of Ryzen 5 9600X. We can mention the 65W TDP, and this works when compared directly to the 105W TDP for the Ryzen 5 7700X. But in the case of Ryzen 5 7500F/7600, it does not. These chips also have a TDP of 65W and very similar real-world power consumption to that offered by the Ryzen 5 9600X.

So for now, we are focusing on the “predecessors”. Usually it is they who are guilty of all sins, but not this time, not this time.

Choosing a video card for an optimal configuration is not a difficult task. For some time now, there have been two obvious candidates: the GeForce RTX 4070 12GB and the Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB. The final decision will depend solely on personal preference and will be good for this category of platforms in any case. We have repeatedly discussed the features of both models, so we will only note that the NVIDIA GPU adapter is a bit more economical and better at ray tracing, while the AMD version offers slightly higher “pure” performance and has 16 GB of memory on board. The cost of both starts at the equivalent of ~$600. The Radeon RX 7800 XT 16GB can be found even a little cheaper, but you need to pay attention to sellers who announce even more attractive price tags. As a rule, these are either provocative positions to drive conversions or options with delivery in a few weeks with a partial prepayment and a one-month warranty period “from the store”. A kind of lottery with the potentially most problematic element of the gaming system.

Recently, NVIDIA has expanded the GeForce RTX 4070 specifications to include a possible variant using GDDR6 (20,000 MHz) memory chips instead of GDDR6X (21,000 MHz). Given that the other characteristics of the adapters remained unchanged, the actual difference is only in the total bandwidth of the memory subsystem. In the original version, it was 504 GB/s, and with GDDR6 it dropped to 480 GB/s (-5%). Practical tests have shown that the actual performance of GeForce RTX 4070 with GDDR6 remained identical in Full HD, and decreased by an average of only 1-2% in 1440p/4K modes.

“Updated” versions of GeForce RTX 4070 with GDDR6 are already on sale in Ukraine. The cost of such modifications does not differ from GDDR6X models. Manufacturers provide information about the type of DRAM in detailed specifications, although they usually do not advertise it on retail packaging. Do you need to pay special attention to avoid getting a GDDR6 version? Subjectively, no, because the actual difference in performance is minimal. But if this is a matter of principle for you, seize the moment while there are still plenty of GDDR6X versions on sale. Something tells us that most of the models in the series will be offered with more affordable GDDR6 chips later on.

If necessary, it is possible to improve the graphics power of the system by 10-15% by proportionally increasing the budget for the purchase of a video card. In the case of AMD, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE 16 GB (from $650) is perfect for these purposes, adding ~10% to the performance of the RX 7800 XT. And you can accelerate the performance of the classic GeForce RTX 4070 by 15% with the updated GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER 12 GB (from $680).

Progressive gaming PC of the Month ($2000+)

 

Gaming monitor for the “Progressive Gaming PC” from our partner MSI

 

MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED is a 27-inch gaming monitor with a next-generation QD-OLED panel with a resolution of 2560×1440, a refresh rate of 360 Hz and a response time of only 0.03 ms (G-t-G). The ultimate screen with enhanced color gamut (DCI-P3 99%) and Delta E ≤2 color accuracy, Clear MR13000 and DisplayHDR True Black 400 certifications, and HDMI 2.1 port with VRR and ALLM.    

MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED gaming monitor

Processors and motherboards. On the eve of the launch of Intel’s new desktop platform, we decided to leave a place for an advanced gaming configuration on this manufacturer’s components. Obviously, all the attention is now focused on LGA1851 and the upcoming Core Ultra 200K (Arrow Lake) series processors. The new chips promise to improve performance, reduce power consumption under load, and eliminate situations with CPU instability, which was especially true for Intel’s top processors of the 13th/14th generations. It seems that Intel has managed to identify all the root causes of the CPU supply voltage shift, but that’s another story.

In addition to the fact that Core Ultra 200 will undergo significant architectural changes, TSMC will apparently manufacture the crystals for the processors. Intel has refused to deploy its own mass production of chips based on Intel 20A technology (class 2 nm). The company decided to concentrate its efforts on the more advanced Intel 18A process node (class 1.8 nm), and Intel 20A was eventually used as a testing ground for fundamentally new technological techniques, such as the RibbonFET transistor structure and the PowerVia mechanism, which involves supplying power from the back of the silicon crystal.

Initially, Intel’s 20A technology was supposed to be used for the production of Arrow Lake-S desktop processors. But the financial turmoil that has befallen the manufacturer obviously requires appropriate complex solutions. Intel has very ambitious plans for the development of its “foundry” in an effort to regain lost ground and become a leading player in the contract chip manufacturing market. However, their realization requires two important conditions: time and money. We hope that Intel will be able to get out of this difficult situation, and that Qualcomm’s current proposal will remain just a “ground probe.”

So, the Core Ultra 200K will use TSMC crystals, most likely manufactured according to one of the existing variations of the 3-nanometer process. We will see how this will affect real products very soon. The preliminary announcement of the platform and CPU is scheduled for October 10, and the new boards and processors should go on sale two weeks later on October 24. According to the latest updates, Intel will initially offer five chips of the Core Ultra 200K line. The series will be headed by Core Ultra 9 285K (8P+16E; 3.7/5.7 GHz + 3.2/4.6 GHz; 36 MB L3), which will have 8 high-performance computers with Lion Cove architecture and 16 energy-efficient cores based on Skymont. Core Ultra 7 265K/KF (8P+12E; 3.9/5.5 GHz + 3.3/4.6 GHz; 30 MB L3) will have a functional formula of 8P+12E, and Core Ultra 5 245K/KF (6P+8E; 4.2/5.2 GHz + 3.6/4.6 GHz; 24 MB L3) will be offered in 6P+8E configuration. All chips will have a 125W thermal package, with a maximum power consumption (MTP, Max Turbo Power) of 250W for Core Ultra 9/7 and 159W for Core Ultra 5.

One of the key differences between Core Ultra and previous generations of chips will be the abandonment of Hyper-Threading logical multithreading technology. Apparently, due to architectural improvements, the new CPUs will be able to compensate for the loss of HT. According to previous leaks, in the Cinebench R23 multi-threaded test, the Core Ultra 5 245K model demonstrates 4-5% better performance than the Core i5-14600K. At the same time, the latter can simultaneously process up to 20 threads (6/12+8), while Core Ultra 5 245K can handle 14 (6+8). It is very interesting to get other results of the new chips and the actual power consumption.

Potentially, it is the Core Ultra 5 245K that can become the base processor for an advanced configuration, although final conclusions can only be made after a detailed look at the capabilities of the new CPUs. There is less than a month left before detailed reviews and the start of Arrow Lake-S sales.

Along with the new desktop chips, motherboards based on the top Intel Z890 chipset will be presented. There are already a lot of leaks on the web with information about upcoming models from different manufacturers and even photos of future products with the LGA1851 socket. Detailed specifications will be officially revealed on October 10.

While the Blue camp is finalizing the final preparations for the launch of the new platform, AMD supporters can already buy the most powerful gaming processor and enjoy maximum fps. Of course, we are talking about Ryzen 7 7800X3D (8/16; 4.2/5.0 GHz; 96 MB L3), which we recommend for a progressive gaming configuration. However, the situation here is also not cloudless.

Obviously, after it became clear that even with the release of Ryzen 9000, the previous generation model with 3D V-Cache remains unattainable in terms of gaming performance, its current retail price has increased significantly. In the last month alone, the already expensive chip has skyrocketed from ~$400-420 to ~$480. The circumstances are frankly unpleasant and make us think about the expediency of spending such money. Of course, the chip is great for gaming, and as we have recently seen, when paired with the GeForce RTX 4090 24GB, it makes a killer combo. The ability to use the best also costs something. However, the availability of the same Ryzen 7 7700X ($325), which is even faster in computing tasks and in 1440p games will yield to the Ryzen 7 7800X3D by only ~5% and ~2% in 4K, makes the final choice no longer seem clear.

As for the new Ryzen 9000 line, we can say that the user acceptance of the chips in the series has been lukewarm. The numerous architectural changes of Zen 5 do not provide a significant advantage in typical tasks. The chips managed to improve energy efficiency, but for desktop processors, performance is usually the priority. And here we can’t detect any significant differences in the charts, which affects the overall perception of the new series of chips. This is especially true for the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X models, for which AMD used an energy-efficient profile, setting the TDP at 65W.

While taking a closer look at the capabilities of the 8-core Ryzen 7 9700X, we experimented with power consumption modes, checking how the chip’s performance would change with an increase in TDP from 65W to 105W. With AMD’s consent, motherboard manufacturers are already offering updated BIOS versions where this option will be available in one click. With the expansion of energy limits, processor performance increases significantly. Higher TDP allows the chip to accelerate cores to higher frequencies even under heavy load, so the greatest effect is achieved in intensive multi-threaded tasks.

So why isn’t Ryzen 7 9700X part of the progressive configurations? There is almost no performance gain in games. Compared to the Ryzen 7 7700X, even in the best case scenario, it’s only a few percent in Full HD mode. While the Ryzen 7 7800X3D remains the undisputed leader here. In addition, the current retail price (~$430) also does not add to the arguments in favor of the Ryzen 7 9700X. Prices are prone to change, so there’s plenty of room to further improve the attractiveness of Ryzen 9000 chips. Who better than AMD to handle this task? The potential is there, we just need to push the manufacturer to act in the right direction.

So far, AMD is trying to optimize Ryzen 9000 performance with technical means, improving their performance. Windows 11 patches, the ability to simply change TDP, and improved inter-core interaction with AGESA 1.2.0.2 microcode are all steps that allow you to unlock the potential of Zen 5 models. Although it seems that they should have been completed at the pre-release stage. However, the process is underway, and that’s good.

According to the latest rumors, AMD has decided to accelerate with the introduction of Ryzen 9000 processors equipped with additional 3D V-Cache. Therefore, we can expect the conditional Ryzen 7 9800X3D at the end of October. Given the actual growth of IPC, this model will probably lead the conditional ranking of the most powerful gaming processors. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

What we can say for sure is that AMD X870/X870E chipset motherboards will be officially launched on September 30. A full set of tools for overclocking and optimizing the platform, as well as support for USB4 and Wi-Fi 7 are mandatory options for the new models, which, according to preliminary estimates, will cost between $220 and $600. So to speak, “for all the money”.

Video cards. Once again convinced that GeForce RTX 4090 24 GB is good, but too expensive for entertainment, we suggest equipping powerful gaming systems with GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER 16 GB and Radeon RX 7900 XT 20 GB graphics cards as a basic option. The prices of these models have not changed recently, so you will have to spend the equivalent of $900-1000 to purchase the appropriate adapters from official suppliers.

As for the replacement of the next generation models, there is little additional information. Of course, work on new solutions is underway, but even without an estimated timeline for announcements. Most likely, the closest event is the NVIDIA event, which is supposed to offer its top solutions with Blackwell architecture. There are indirect signs that such an announcement is coming. In Germany, for example, there is already a shortage and price increase for GeForce RTX 4090 (do you feel the tragedy of the problem for users from the “first world” countries?) This is attributed to an attempt to free up warehouses from stocks of current models ahead of the launch of powerful next-generation solutions. However, given the current state of affairs in the performance graphics card segment, NVIDIA has no reason to rush. AMD is going to concentrate on mid-range models in the near future, without getting involved in the fight for the title of the most powerful graphics card manufacturer.

According to recent analytical reports, AMD’s share in the discrete graphics card segment is only 12%. Therefore, the manufacturer needs mass-market solutions with a good price/performance ratio to fix the situation. Top-of-the-line graphics cards are definitely not the products that will affect these indicators. Although the presence of powerful flagships in a company usually influences the decision to purchase lower-end models. Let’s hope that AMD will still offer a decent update for the entire current Radeon RX 7000 line and won’t give up on fighting in the top graphics league.

The current figure of 0% for the share of Intel graphics cards requires even more radical measures. Although the developers offered quite interesting Intel ARC 770/750 models, the company was frankly late with the release of these models when the “graphics pie” was already divided and competitors managed to release updated adapters. Therefore, each new news about the development of Battlemage graphics cards gives a ray of hope that even despite the difficult times for Intel, the company will not give up on custom graphics and will increase competition in this segment.