Introducing the side of the game paints a clearer picture. In the older 3DMark benchmarks, again using the RTX 5080, the difference in scores is very small, with wider margins in the newer benchmarks. Time Spy, for example, saw less than a one percent increase, while Speedway was closer to 10 percent.

by Brad Bourque

When it comes to actual gaming benchmarks, there is a difference, but in practice you won’t notice it. Cyberpunk 2077 is one of my go-to games, because it’s a popular title that’s also very demanding, and the in-game benchmarks mean it’s very consistent. At 1440p, with ultra and ray tracing settings, but path tracing, the 9800X3D delivered 69.61 FPS compared to the 9850X3D’s 71.19 FPS, about a 2 percent difference.

by Brad Bourque

None of the other major games I’ve tried, including Marvel Rivals, Arc Raiders, and Counter-Strike 2, does not show any noticeable difference. Especially with a corresponding high-end GPU, we’re talking about a 3 to 4 frames-per-second difference when it’s over 120 fps. I’m not sure even the most persnicety gamer would be able to tell them apart while actually playing the game. Both can easily support 1440p gaming at high refresh rates, at least when paired with the same high-end GPU.

If you’re already equipped with a 9800X3D, there’s no reason to upgrade to the 9850X3D. You won’t really notice the difference, even in hard games. As I write this, the 9800X3D is readily available for $470, and the 9850X3D will only cost $30 at launch. The choice is a given, and if both are at retail, you can get the better chip, but a free game or modest discount on the older chip will easily win me over. I’m very happy with either processor, and I’m not going to lose sleep over some fps difference.