7900 vs 7900x at the same price

[Wyzzy Moon]

I am planning a new build and I was gonna go for a AMD 7900x CPU. but than the non-X series launched and having watched the LTT review they looked great!
I am in Europe (the Netherlands) so power consumption matters right now, and I like how they run less hot. And what matters most: the price. MSRP of more than 100 dollars less.

HOWEVER

Here in the Netherlands, they are priced almost the same, like literally 7 euros difference for the X vs the non X. In some place the non-x is even MORE expensive.
So now it just comes down to performance and power consumption.
If they are the same price I assume I am better off with a 7900x right? And if I want the better efficiency I could just underclock it? and turn it into a 7900? 

Is there any reason to go for the non-X when they cost the same?

 

[Queen Chrysalis]

It’s the exact same chip, but the x is allegedly binned better, so you might see a difference.  What are you using the CPU for?  If it’s just for gaming you’d be better off with a 7600, but that’s entirely usage dependant.

[Wyzzy Moon]

Just now, Queen Chrysalis said:

It’s the exact same chip, but the x is allegedly binned better, so you might see a difference.  What are you using the CPU for?  If it’s just for gaming you’d be better off with a 7600, but that’s entirely usage dependant.

That's what I thought, So if I were to lower the TDP of the 7900X I'd get the same power and termal advantages as the 7900

Not just for gaming btw, bit of gaming, also video editing, bit of 3D and planning to run VM's under linux. That's why I am going for a 79xx over a 76xx

[aDoomGuy]

X has slighly higher clock frequency. Will you notice? Probably not. I don't think you'll notice it on your electricity bill either but slightly higher clocks is slightly higher clocks so if they cost the same...

 

EDIT: Both can probably be undervolted a bit.

[YoungBlade]

If you don't intend to use the box cooler that comes with the non-X, and the X is the same price or cheaper, you might as well get it. All you have to do is turn on Eco mode in the BIOS and a 7900X becomes a 7900 that (in theory) would clock a little bit higher due to better binning.

 

That said, the 7900 and 7700 come with Wraith Prism coolers, that tend to fetch a reasonable amount on the second hand market, so you could actually sell that to get back some of the money you paid.

[Wyzzy Moon]

Just now, YoungBlade said:

If you don't intend to use the box cooler that comes with the non-X, and the X is the same price or cheaper, you might as well get it. All you have to do is turn on Eco mode in the BIOS and a 7900X becomes a 7900 that (in theory) would clock a little bit higher due to better binning.

 

That said, the 7900 and 7700 come with Wraith Prism coolers, that tend to fetch a reasonable amount on the second hand market, so you could actually sell that to get back some of the money you paid.

I am running a 4U rackmount case so I was planning a Noctua NH-D12L (low profile) which will fit and outperform a wraith cooler I assume? However a Wraith Prism would also be low profile and fit 4U. So that is an interesting thing to consider, since the Noctua cooler is around 100euro's that would mean a difference in total cost going with the nonX over the X 

[YoungBlade]

12 minutes ago, Wyzzy Moon said:

I am running a 4U rackmount case so I was planning a Noctua NH-D12L (low profile) which will fit and outperform a wraith cooler I assume? However a Wraith Prism would also be low profile and fit 4U. So that is an interesting thing to consider, since the Noctua cooler is around 100euro's that would mean a difference in total cost going with the nonX over the X 

The Noctua cooler is a tower, while the Prism is a downdraft, so if your 4U is set up to have high airflow directly through the case, then the Noctua would definitely do better as it will work with that config rather than trying to pull air down at a 90 degree angle. However, I think there's a good chance if you keep the CPU at its default TDP that the Prism would do fine.

 

You can always try it with the Prism if you get the non-X and then, if you decide you don't like it, sell it used for 40 euros to subsidize the cost of the Noctua.