7920X?! What to know about X299
7920X?! What to know about X299
Hello everyone, I'm an X99 user planning to upgrade to X299. I found deals for a X299 FTWK from EVGA and an I9 7920X with a 12c/24t max of 4.3. Are there any key points I should know about the 7th generation X299? Should it be delidded? Is that advised? Also, are the 9th and 10th gen models soldered? I have a 700W PSU, so I'm not concerned about power draw. My 5820K can handle over 200W at full speed, and my RTX 2080 FE doesn't consume much power like an AIB does. I think I'm good on the PSU side. I also have quad channel memory, which should work fine. What else should I remember about X299 compared to X99?
Are there any good options? I don’t think I’d purchase an X299 CPU unless the deals match what the 3900X offers at its price point. It does have quad-channel memory which helps with heavy workloads, but even with dual-channel it would still outperform it. The AMD Threadrippers are worth considering if you really want quad-channel support.
If the price is lower than a top-tier Ryzen setup—or if you require quad channel memory and PCI lanes—avoid spending on an X299 that offers less performance than Ryzen. The 9th generation is essentially similar to the 7th (or 7000X chips), just with solder added. You don’t always need to upgrade unless you’re lucky with the silicon. The 10th generation isn’t based on Skylake X and uses Cascade Lake technology. One concern when choosing between X299 and X399 was that X299 was more affordable than AMD’s TR series. Threadrippers cost more if you purchase a CPU and motherboard together, whereas Intel’s HEDT options are more economical.
I'm currently using a 7920X in my streaming rig. It's mostly because I had it as a spare unit instead of picking one carefully. The Skylake-X design is based on the server version, and some adjustments they made affect its performance for everyday consumer tasks. Gaming: the cache layout makes it act more like older Ryzen models when it comes to gameplay speed. In terms of clock speeds, it seems to lag slightly behind typical Intel offerings, but only matters a lot if you're aiming for top FPS numbers. For computing, results vary a lot depending on what you're doing. The main benefits are the quad channel memory support and AVX-512 capability—if your software supports it. AVX-512 can roughly double the floating-point instructions per second compared to mainstream Intel and AMD options. The monolithic design helps with scaling for certain compute jobs, though. The CCX architecture and limited Infinity Fabric speed can be a hassle for most parallel tasks. I'm running the stock version and everything runs smoothly with a decent air cooler like the Noctua D15. Delid isn't necessary unless you're planning to push it to higher speeds. I haven't used Delid yet, but my previous 7800X performed worse than expected when swapped in, suggesting better thermal contact. A noticeable upgrade came from using liquid metal cooling.
I don’t require those PCI lanes or quad channel memory. Given the price of 435, it looks like a reasonable choice to include my 4X8GB RAM kit and continue with my tasks. I don’t believe there’s a 3900X tier that’s that affordable.
There’s little value in purchasing x299 unless you require PCIe lanes and benefit from the faster clock speeds of Skylake-X processors compared to earlier Threadripper models. Cost matters too, because prices have risen significantly for Threadripper chips as AMD has captured more market share and gained recognition.
I’m aiming to upgrade my CPU to boost FPS in games like Warzone. Right now my PC is struggling with CPU load while streaming, and everything else seems fine except the CPU/Mobo. I’m confident my EISBAER 280 can handle the heat, but an X299 would be a strong choice. I’m hoping to get a 3900x and a better motherboard for less than $435—definitely worth it if it means a smoother experience.