Considering a fresh 4090 and thinking about improving the rest of your Ryzen 5800X setup
Considering a fresh 4090 and thinking about improving the rest of your Ryzen 5800X setup
As mentioned in the title, I recently got a 4090 a few weeks back, KFA2 S V.2. Generally satisfied with it, except for the annoying multimonitor issues. The rest of my setup uses a 5800x, with boost clocks set to 5050mhz under a Noctua NH D-15 64 gigabytes of Corsair 3600mhz CL 18 Asus Strix X570-F Gaming. It comes with a 50-inch 4K TV (limited to 60Hz) and a 34-inch 165Hz ultrawide. I play games like Cyberpunk, Metro Exodus, Watch Dogs 3, etc., especially when they’re RT or otherwise demanding. For heavier titles, I prefer the 4K display. For anything else, I opt for the ultrawide, which is where my dilemma lies—I already anticipated the CPU might be a bit restrictive on the ultrawide with this card. Even without overclocking, the utilization stays around 80%+, keeping the CPU running hot during summer. (Even if I lower the overclocks) I’m stuck deciding between a cheaper $350 option that adds a 5800x3D and calling it a day, or a pricier $900 path to an AM5 platform, MSI X670, 7700/x, and 64 gigabytes of 6000mhz DDR5. I know 7800x3D would be better, but it’s out of my budget. Plus, I’m still cautious about the “exploding” x3D trend.) Also, I believe a 4090 is probably too much for a 3440x1440 setup. I chose the monitor six months ago when I didn’t expect to afford a GPU upgrade for another year or so. The display is great even if it doesn’t match perfectly. What do you think? Any advice?
I mean that a quicker CPU might not actually make a big difference in keeping things cooler. At 4K resolution, the 5800X3D doesn’t really boost FPS much unless you’re playing certain games.
I know there isn't much (if any benefit) in 4k performance with an x3D. At lower resolutions, such as the 3440x1440 of my ultrawide, is where the x3D shines, removing the CPU as a bottleneck. CPU can't keep up with the gpu, framerates tank, and cpu utilization goes up. Forspoken at 4k, cpu utilization is around 30-35%, running 10-15c cooler, at 3440x1440, CPU utilization jumps massively, upwards of 80%. I've seen similar behavior, if not as severe in other games. Which is why i say the the display is mismatched, or rather the gpu is overkill for the resolution. At least with a 5800x.
It really varies by game. New titles often use different assets at 4K resolution, which raises CPU demand. Lowering the framerate can ease that pressure and cut CPU usage. A 4090 can become a bottleneck even with a 13900k, especially in some setups. I think it’s best to wait until you can upgrade your CPU before settling on a 4090, since it was quite costly to restrict performance. Even with a 3090, CPU limits showed up in large maps during games like Warzone when using a 5950x at 250W. What matters most for upgrades is how you plan them.
The GPU decision seems to reflect my preference for visual quality. Fortnite is the only MP game I really enjoy, while the rest of my collection leans toward AAA single-player titles, though I occasionally check out what’s available on GamePass. Outside gaming, I spend time editing photos and working on 3D designs for both professional and personal projects, which is why I chose the 5800x over the X3D initially. The powerful CPU with the 7000x3Ds hasn’t swayed my choice much. It’s definitely not something I require unless there’s clear value. While bench reviews are useful, I wanted to see real-world comparisons between the 5800x3D and the 7700x with a 4090.