Which Is Better and for What: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X + Radeon RX 9600 XT vs Ryzen 7 9800X3D + Radeon RX 9070 XT

Due to the recent sharp rise in memory prices – a trend we’ve already covered – building a PC according to a meta-spec has become increasingly complex and less accessible. Against this backdrop, Telemart’s offer to test two complete configurations looks both smart and convenient. So, what are the key components? On one side: AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with XFX Radeon RX 9600 XT. On the other: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D with XFX Radeon RX 9070 XT.

Video review of Telemart PC with AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D/9700X

All of this is mounted on an MSI B850M Gaming Plus WiFi6E motherboard. Cooling is handled by a SAMA SM360 Pro liquid cooler, while memory comes in the form of Kingston Fury Beast DDR5 6000 MT/s, timings 36-44-44, with two 32 GB modules – a real treasure given current market prices. The components are housed in a Sama Neview 4503 case and powered by a SAMA Black Diamond 850Plus Gold PSU.

Graphics Cards

So, my goal here is to recommend the right pairing between the two CPUs and the two GPUs, and explain which tasks each combination handles best. All key components deserve individual attention – except for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16 GB, which I’ve already reviewed. I’ll just note that it’s one of the top-performing graphics cards available today.

Objectively, this combination of raw performance, VRAM capacity, cooling efficiency, and – most importantly – software optimization is an impressive achievement. Matching the RTX 5070 Ti in ray tracing, frame generation, and professional workloads like DaVinci Resolve is genuinely mind-blowing.

Against this backdrop, the RX 9600 XT 8 GB, even in the XFX variant, looks noticeably less impressive – though it is significantly more affordable. Its price is roughly half that of the 9070 XT, and the hardware differences are almost exactly halved: VRAM (8 GB vs. 16 GB), stream processors (2048 vs. 4096), memory bus width (128 bit vs. 256 bit), cache from L1 to L3, ray-tracing cores, and even power consumption – all roughly 50 % of the 9070 XT.

Now, for the interesting part. In terms of raw performance, the RX 9060 XT is on average about 30% slower than the 9070 XT 16GB. Not twice as slow, not even 50% slower – just around 30%. Why is that? The reason is that the 9060 XT has a slightly higher core clock compared to the higher-end model, while the memory operates at similar frequencies. Additionally, all the advantages of RDNA 4 remain present, including the software features and optimizations; none of these have been removed.

In terms of raw performance, the RX 9060 XT is on average about 30% slower than the 9070 XT 16GB. Not twice as slow, not even 50% slower – just around 30%. This is due to the 9060 XT having a slightly higher core clock than the higher-end model, while memory operates at similar frequencies. All RDNA 4 advantages are still present, including software features and optimizations.

The 9060 XT is primarily a gaming-focused card, while the 9070 XT 16GB is designed for a broader range of tasks. As for the 9060 XT 16GB, it can handle more workloads than the 8GB version, but it does so at a slower pace compared to the 9070 XT, particularly in gaming scenarios.

Processors

Looking at the processors, the situation is somewhat counterintuitive but also comparable in certain aspects. First, the price difference between the two CPUs is around 20–25%, which is relatively small compared to the differences seen in graphics cards. Both processors use the AMD AM5 platform and require DDR5 memory. They are similar in die size and transistor count, and both have the same PCIe version and number of lanes.

At the same time, the X3D version has a significantly higher base clock – 4.7 GHz compared to 3.8 GHz – but a slightly lower boost clock, 5.2 GHz versus 5.5 GHz, which results in the TDP doubling from 65 W to 125 W. However, the L3 cache is three times larger, with 96 MB shared compared to 32 MB.

This is NOT used anywhere in performance. The only exception is:

• Mining
• Mining exclusively with the QBIC algorithm, because it is optimised for the fat L3 cache.

For users mining with QBIC, the X3D version may offer an advantage. In rendering, 3D modeling, or AI training, however, the 96 MB L3 cache is not utilized.

Where it will matter is in gaming – up to a 50% improvement compared to the Ryzen 7 9700X. In some modern titles, frame rates can increase from 100 FPS to 150 FPS or more. This, combined with significantly improved frame stability and fewer dips, results in a noticeable performance gain – primarily due to the higher base clock rather than the larger cache – under certain conditions.

Tests and Conditions

First, a powerful graphics card is required to avoid bottlenecking the CPU. For context, even the Ryzen 7 9800X3D was tested alongside an RTX 4090. This does not mean that the X3D processor is only beneficial for owners of top-tier GPUs; however, achieving a 50% FPS increase becomes considerably more difficult with less powerful graphics cards.

The same applies to games – not all titles benefit from a large L3 cache as much as from a higher boost clock, which, for reference, the 9700X has. In general, the X3D excels in scenarios with heavy CPU load. This includes simulators, strategy games, and MMORPGs, both older and newer titles.

Esports titles and shooters – where players target maximum FPS in FHD – benefit differently. Open-world games, from Cyberpunk 2077 to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, tend to perform better on X3D CPUs. This difference might not always be obvious in benchmarks, but there is a clear technical reason. It’s important to note that the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is intended for systems with high-end components, not mid-range setups.

Summary for the Telemart PC with AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D/9700X

In conclusion, recommendations depend on your specific needs. If you game during the day and work on rendering tasks at night, the XFX Radeon RX 9070 XT is recommended, while the choice of CPU is flexible – AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is also a suitable option. For a quiet, cost-effective gaming setup aimed at Full HD, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X paired with the XFX Radeon RX 9600 XT is sufficient.

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