The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has officially launched, hitting the shelves at the same time as the standard RX 9070 and a day after the NVIDIA RTX 5070. The RX 9070 XT is one of the more exciting cards that have launched within the past couple of months, primarily due to its excellent gaming performance. However, one question remains. What are the best CPUs for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT? This is a question we’ll be answering in this buyer’s guide roundup by testing and analysing a range of excellent CPUs that cater to a range of budgets and use cases.
This series of buyer’s guide articles focuses on the best components to pair with the RX 9070 XT. We’ve covered the best cases, PSUs, and CPUs. This article explores the best CPUs for the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT. We’ll examine the specs, performance, and pricing to determine which processors are the best options.
Our Top Pick: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
Unsurprisingly the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is our top pick as the best CPU for the RTX 9070 XT. The reason why comes down to its exceptional gaming performance. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the go-to processor for gaming thanks to its 3D V-Cache which pushes framerates much further compared to non 3D V-Cache CPUs. Needless to say, if you’re looking to push your RX 9070 XT with some 4K and 1440p gaming, the 9800X3D is the CPU we recommend pairing up to reach superb framerates.
The Best CPUs for the RX 9070 XT
1. AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a CPU we’ve recommended numerous times across our graphics card launch content in 2025. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is our go-to choice for those looking to play games at 1440p and 4K. The main reason comes down to its performance across modern titles. Thanks to AMD’s 3D V-Cache technology, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D thrives in games, often requiring multiple processes and instructions to be executed as quickly as possible.
The 3D V-Cache acts as blazing-fast storage for the CPU, allowing it to access any stored instructions much quicker than taking them from RAM. Because of this, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a top performer across our benchmarking runs, competing with CPUs like the Ryzen 9 9950X and Core Ultra 9 245K. When paired with the RX 9070 XT, you can expect to hit high framerates at 1440p, with decent legs in 4K.
| Key Specs | AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D |
|---|---|
| Core Count | 8 |
| Thread Count | 16 |
| Base Clock Speed | 4.7GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 5.2GHz |
| Max Cache | 104MB |
| Default TDP | 120W |
| CPU Socket | AM5 |
| Overclockable | Yes |
Regarding its specs, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is an eight-core, sixteen-thread CPU, with a boost clock speed that maxes out at 5.2GHz. This processor has a TDP of 120W, which means it draws more power than CPUs like the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X, but the 120W power draw won’t be a concern if you’ve picked up a 750W PSU or better. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is also overclockable, a first for 3D V-Cache CPUs. If you’re the kind of gamer that likes to tinker, you may be able to squeeze more juice out of your system with some trial and error.
Unfortunately, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s biggest weakness is its multi-core capability. Eight cores and sixteen threads will be sufficient for some lighter threaded workloads, like photo or video editing. However, if you want to push your build with more burdensome workloads, we recommend picking up a processor with more cores.
Pros
- Unrivalled gaming performance
- Competitive pricing
- Efficient
Cons
- Multi-core performance
- Difficult to pick up
2. AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
Next up is the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X. While a slightly weaker CPU than the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, on paper, it shares similar specs, bar the clock speed, TDP and cache. We’ve included the Ryzen 7 9700X because it serves as a cheaper but equally performance-competitive option as the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. It’s no shock that the 9800X3D can be found well above the $500 mark, but if a budget restricts you, that’s where the Ryzen 7 9700X comes in.
Across our testing and benchmarking, the Ryzen 7 9700X tends to sit just above the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K regarding gaming performance. Synthetic applications share a similar story, but the Ryzen 7 9700X loses out to a degree in benchmarks that benefit from more cores. However, single-core performance is where this CPU thrives, demonstrating strong metrics across games and benchmarks like Cinebench on the single-thread test.
| Key Specs | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X |
|---|---|
| Core Count | 8 |
| Thread Count | 16 |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.8GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 5.5GHz |
| Max Cache | 40MB |
| Default TDP | 65W |
| CPU Socket | AM5 |
| Overclockable | Yes |
Regarding pricing, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X is available for around $310 at the time of writing, which is about $200 less than what you’d need to spend to secure the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. I think the pricing of this CPU is very fair considering the performance output, and it’s worth considering if you’re sticking to a particular budget.
The main con of this CPU is that it struggles to compete with the Ryzen 5 9600X. The Ryzen 7 9700X isn’t a bad CPU by any means, but for about $100 less, you can pick up the Ryzen 5 9600X, which offers comparable performance. If you’re playing games, the Ryzen 5 9600X is the superior choice, as adding a couple of cores won’t have much effect on framerates in your favourite titles.
Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Low TDP
- Strong boost clock speed
Cons
- Threaded workload capability
- Value proposition versus 9600X
3. AMD Ryzen 5 9600X
Last but not least is the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X. As we’ve alluded to above, the Ryzen 5 9600X is in a somewhat unique position compared to the rest of the market due to its performance and pricing. Available for around $200 at the time of writing, the 9600X is an affordable option for those building a mid-range or budget PC. However, its performance is far from what you’d expect a budget PC to offer.
In our benchmarks, the Ryzen 5 9600X sits close to the Ryzen 7 9700X. For example, in Battlefield 2042 at 4K, the Ryzen 5 9600X offers an 84FPS average, while the Ryzen 7 9700X hovers around 95FPS. This means that with a $100 upgrade, you’re gaining about 10FPS, which I feel most gamers aren’t going to care about in the grand scheme of things.
| Key Specs | AMD Ryzen 5 9600X |
|---|---|
| Core Count | 6 |
| Thread Count | 12 |
| Base Clock Speed | 3.9GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 5.4GHz |
| Max Cache | 38MB |
| Default TDP | 65W |
| CPU Socket | AM5 |
| Overclockable | Yes |
On the specs front, the Ryzen 5 9600X offers six cores and twelve threads, with a boost clock speed that maxes out at 5.4GHz, 100MHz less than the Ryzen 7 9700X. This CPU has a low power budget of 65W, which means it can sustain its 5.4GHz boost speed, maintaining strong game performance without having to throttle down due to thermals. The 9600X is also overclockable, so if you’re clued up with overclocking, it could be worth increasing the boost speed to leverage more performance.
The main caveat of this CPU compared to a processor like the Ryzen 7 9700X is the number of cores. The Ryzen 5 9600X, while cheaper, loses out to the 9700X in multi-core workloads, which means you are restricted to just gaming with the 9600X. This processor’s six cores and twelve threads aren’t enough for more challenging threaded workloads.
Pros
- 4K gaming performance
- Low power budget
- Excellent thermals
Cons
- Threaded performance
- Small core count
Performance
In this section, we’ll examine the performance of the CPUs we recommend in this buyer’s guide. Our in-house benchmarker, Harry Coleman, rigorously tests our data to ensure accuracy and fairness. The CPUs shown in the benchmarks below have been tested in a range of games and workstation-style applications to see how they perform across single- and multi-threaded workloads.
Battlefield 2042 4K High
Unsurprisingly, in Battlefield 2042 at 4K high, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D came out on top with a 105FPS average, followed by the Ryzen 7 9700X with 95FPS and the 9600X with 84FPS. Overall, the results are pretty close here, but it’s evident that the 9800X3D is a better pickup for those with high refresh rate displays.
Marvel’s Spiderman Remastered 4K High
In Spiderman Remastered at 4K high, the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 7 9800X3D were much closer in terms of performance. The 9800X3D sits towards the top with 109FPS, only two frames above the 107FPS of the Ryzen 7 9700X. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X, unfortunately, sits towards the bottom of the graph with a 93FPS average.
Spiderman Remastered is a fairly intense game, which is likely why the 9800X3D and 9700X are so close in this benchmark. However, it’s great to see that the 9700X can still match the performance of this 3D V-Cache CPU.
Cinebench R23 (Multi-Core)
In our synthetic benchmarks, we fired up Cinebench R23 and ran the Multi-Core test. In this run, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D again comes out on top with a score of 23432 in this threaded run. The multi-core benchmark utilises all of the available cores, which for the Ryzen 7s are eight cores and sixteen threads, so it’s not a shock that they beat out the Ryzen 5 9600X. Compared to the rest of the market, all of the CPUs in this roundup aren’t multi-core titans, but both Ryzen 7 options offer much better performance than the Ryzen 5 9600X, which is primarily built for single-core processes.
Cinebench R23 (Single Thread)
In our single-thread benchmark, the AMD Ryzen 5 9600X soars towards the top of the graph with an impressive score of 2180, compared to the 2144 from the Ryzen 7 9700X and 2104 that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D was able to output. While the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a strong competitor in games, its raw single-core performance isn’t as solid as some of the other low-end Ryzen 9000 processors.
3D Mark Timespy Extreme
In our final benchmark, we fired up 3D Mark’s Timespy Extreme, which is akin to rendering a game at 4K. The Ryzen 7 9700X comes out on top compared to the other CPUs in this buyer’s guide with a CPU score of 7531. While this is slightly weaker than the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the overall score bumps up the 9700X, allowing it to take the lead. The AMD Ryzen 5 9600X offered up a CPU score of 5607, which places it between the 7800X3D and 12600K.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Cores or Clock Speed More Important for Gaming?
Clock speed is more important over cores, as most games will only ever use 2-4 cores at the maximum.
Why Are There No Intel CPUs In This Buyer’s Guide?
While Intel CPUs are solid, their current stack isn’t great compared to AMD, which is why we’re recommending primarily AMD options.
Is Overclocking Important?
While overclocking can be handy, modern CPUs offer excellent clock speeds and great performance.
