Need help trimming my first PC build — is CL30 worth it over CL38?
Posted by WinAdventurous5193@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 60 comments
Hey, I’m building my first PC and my budget is around $3000 / 10.5k NIS. I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth paying extra for DDR5 6000 CL30 instead of CL38. The CL30 kit is somehow like $100-170 more, which feels insane to me. My current build is already about $130 over budget, so I’m trying to figure out if I should just stick with CL38 or cut something else to make room for CL30. Current parts: GPU: RTX 5080 Aero CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D Case: Corsair 5000D PSU: Corsair RM1000x (2024), 1000W fully modular SSD: Samsung 9100 Pro 2TB PCIe 5.0, or maybe Kingston KC3000 2TB PCIe 4.0 Motherboard: MSI B850M Gaming Plus WiFi 6E (AM5) Cooler: Arctic Liquid Freezer III Pro A-RGB 360 Fans: not sure yet So basically: Is CL30 actually worth the extra money over CL38 for this build? Or should I keep CL38 and spend the money elsewhere / lower another part? Any help is appreciated because I’m trying not to overspend on stuff that won’t matter much in actual gaming.
imhereforshad@reddit
cl 38 is fine, I would save money elsewhere. I can highly recommend the kc3000, super fast write speeds and boot times while being cheaper than samsung alternatives. As for people saying you should downgrade to a 5070ti, if you have the money id stick with the 5080, its just objectively the better card despite the "value".
I would however suggest getting the 9800x3d over the 7800x3d. runs cooler and is amd's latest gen cpu, gives you the peace of mind that you have the latest tech (like the 5080). either save longer or cut cost on the ssd and maybe psu, 850w is enough for the 5080 + 9800x3d.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Ye thank you man am downgrading ssd to WD Black SN7100 2TB cuz the one u said isnt in the shop am buying from and ye ill see if i have budget for 9800x3d instead of 7800 x3d, although are you sure a 850w psu is still as good as 1000w for this build? I think it costs way less which can help me upgrade cpu
LogInevitable7154@reddit
Sn7100 is dramless— pretty good for light stuff… but I wouldn’t count on it to be best for AAA games and higher settings, and definitely not for memory intense workstation type tasks. Also not best for OS— though more marginal.
I would research dram vs dramless for your use— if it’s gaming and content you’re likely better served with a drive that has dram to cover all your tasks efficiently.
And if you’re not “working” every day… it might not matter. If it’s a hobby or for fun— but look it up just in case.
If I had a single ssd in my system, I’d go with a drive that has dram.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Yep i will try to find a good one, thanks bro
imhereforshad@reddit
im running a 5080 and 9800x3d on a 850w psu just fine. honestly 1000w psu is only for people with money to splurge.
the 9800x3d is very power efficient so the 5080 can pull as much power as it needs without issue.
On top of that theres a neat thing you can do to your cpu and gpu to reduce power consumption, temperatures, and even increase fps. When you get your pc built look into undervolting.
LogInevitable7154@reddit
What is this system meant to do?
Just gaming? Edit? Models? Lab work?
I like the “just gaming” suggestion to go 9070xt + 9800x3d, and gen 4 NVMe ssd (maybe 2: one for os and one for game library)
5070ti would be great close to msrp… but that’s not happening. 5080 would be the nvidia id look at if I needed 50 series right now.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Ye i like 5080 i kinda wanna stick with it and the build is for gaming mostly but editing (not something too complicated js content creation short form) and recording on obs gameplay maybe livestream too and do u think its enough for rdr2 with all ultra graphics my laptop is burning from rdr2 on medium rn
LogInevitable7154@reddit
Totally a 5080 is plenty. A 9070xt too— but if content creation is part of the tasks the gpu has to do I’d lean nvidia for av1 and cuda etc etc. but a better professional suite than AMD— at least more supported and convenient.
So yea 5070ti close to msrp is the dream, big overpriced 5080 is the reality.
The mixed workload with gaming and content editing etc will favor the 9800x3d for long term use. Especially if you’re playin, streaming, and recording all at once, and then editing and post on same rig the 9800x3d will show its worth over 7800x3d. Significantly better productivity results, as well as better thermals for sustained multi core work- (game, stream, record, apps, chat etc etc)
You’ll likely want more ssd/portable drives/some more of good storagefor: os, game library, cache/scratch (work drive- fastest one goes here), and raw ingest (recording— you can likely record to a sata ssd if you keep it 4k60 or less, with the proper codec— but try for ssd)
Also, considerations if content creation is becoming a stronger priority, or you discover it’s for you:
The motherboard I/o… consider how you connect the camera.. usbc? 10gbps? 20?
How many things will go plugged into your usbc? Do you have enough of them? I know it’s a detail, but I once didn’t have enough ports for my plan and it sucked.
Consider audio interface if something you’ll want down the line and how it would connect, headset and mic, camera, control surfaces you’d use etc etc. Pcie lane split? Will you need x8/x8 split later for a fancy capture card? To make ready for a mirrorless camera at high res? Will the typical x8/x4 or x16/x4 suit you well?
What is the motherboard giving up in lanes when you populate the pcie slots? Or all m.2? Deceptively important to plan down the line.
If you want it for longevity, these little details will matter— they’re the ones that make ppl get more hardware down the line.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Yep i will surely get 64gb ram when prices go back to normal, and yeah i will consider all those things u said, thank you bro
FastingCyclist@reddit
Get the 5070 To already, you will be better served...
qkni7@reddit
No. Literally cannot tell rhe difference in gaming
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
So i should stick with cl38?
Luckyirishdevil@reddit
The x3D chips are FAR less affected by ram speed. You could drop to 5600 and lose only a few FPS. CL38 to CL30 will be a few FPS different
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
No CL30 isn't worth the extra 170-200 USD and especially when you have an X3D chip. Also change the GPU back to a RTX 5070 Ti 16GB, the 5080 has the same amount of VRAM and just offers 10-20% extra performance for way too much.
And if this is just a gaming only build, you could also get the RX 9070 XT 16GB and save some more money.
You also don't need the high end Gen 5 SSD. Get Gen 4/Gen 3 TLC SSD for way cheaper, something like the Crucial T500/510, Patriot P310, WD SN7100 etc.
You are spending way too much on no visible performance gain, if you were to make all the changes I suggested and save some money, you could bump up your CPU to a 9800X3D or a 9850X3D.
Lil_Hater112@reddit
Bro, dlss and framegen on nvidia is miles aheas, stop recommending 9070xt without knowing if he likea
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
He literally asked how to trim the budget and save money. Learn to read man.
Lil_Hater112@reddit
Ye, u recommend the shitty amd budget card from second best nvidia card, might as well recommens 5800x3d and ddr4 ram at this point😂
DementedJay@reddit
Username checks out.
Lil_Hater112@reddit
Ye, i am an amd hater, got baited by review and Reddit to buy a 7900xtx and now i have a 5070ti and i can see how shit amd s software and framegen and fsr is compared to nvidia
DementedJay@reddit
Sounds tragic. I will inform the Make-a-Wish Foundation to move you to the head of the line.
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
Learn to spell mate. Brain dead
skinkingweaver@reddit
I downgraded from a 4090 to the nitro 9070xt. Haven't noticed much if any difference in games and netted $1100. I haven't had to use frame gen yet so I guess idk if i like it but I hated ray tracing in 75% of games after running two separate 4090 systems. The 7900xtx nitro pulse blew my socks off when it was averaging 3fps less at 4k native starfield vs my first 4090. Idk man, I bought into a lot, but without the fps counter cant really tell and I think Control is the only game I really preferred raytracing maxed.
Lil_Hater112@reddit
Ye, if u dont use fg upscaling or rt/pt, then ye, nvidia has nothing. I had 7900xtx and now 5070ti and i could see the limited software on amd and can never go back to amd
skinkingweaver@reddit
Sure, I just like real frames and dollars to raster has always been amd's jam, not software unfortunately.
Lil_Hater112@reddit
Everything is software, you watch 0 and 1 in a human readable form
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Uh i kinda do want the rtx 5080 for future upgrades too cuz this pc gonna stay for a while, also u saying i should downgrade ssd to buy the 9850x3d instead?
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
I myself own a 5070 Ti 16GB mate, they are both of the same generation so they will driver updates for the same duration, they have the same amount of VRAM so ne benefits in that aspect. It just costs 700-1K USD more for 10-20% performance gain. And if you wanna play at 1440p, RTX 5070 Ti is the one everyone recommends.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Alright bro i appreciate it but i prefer the 5080 cuz i will upgrade the pc in the future and i got told the 5080 is compatible with more stuff, altho thank you i will downgrade the ssd to gen 4 or smth and then buy maybe a better CPU like 9850x3d cuz its like150$ more i think which i heared is worth kt
Subject-Frame7774@reddit
look at benchmarks dude, 5080 at 4k is like 5-7fps faster usually which is not worth however much more it usually is.
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
LoL, I thought it was atleast 20%.
horizon936@reddit
It is 20%. Don't listen to them. An OC might create an even bigger gap.
A 5070 Ti is much more worth it than the 9070XT due to the superiority of Nvidia's features. They may be similar in raw performance, but the features are arguably more important.
Then with the 5080 you get 18-20% more performance for 33% more money. Both cards are 4k capable, but the 5080 has a much easier time clearing Path Tracing at 4k, especially when overclocked. The 5070 Ti can do 4k well too. You choose between slightly better performance vs better value.
Subject-Frame7774@reddit
Why do people bring up overclocking "widening the gap" when they overclock practically the same?
horizon936@reddit
Because they don't overclock exactly the same.
FastingCyclist@reddit
Dude, you're getting very good advice, I wanted to give you the same, yet you keep going with that 5080...
Also, PCI 4.0 is enough for the SSD, might even be better, as they don't get as hot as 5.0.
coolboy856@reddit
The 9850x3d is NOT worth $150 more...
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Oh do you know the fps difference then in games i js dk shit bout pc building
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
Who told you this man? Compatible with what exactly? I mean if you wanna waste your money aimlessly then go ahead.
If something is compatible with the 5080, it's compatible with the 5070 Ti mate.
horizon936@reddit
Lol, bullshit.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Ye i know but it kinda matters to me that 20% and this pc is gonna stay for a big while, thank you though!
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
You wanna play at 1440p or 4K? You also have access to DLSS and MFG etc, so I literally don't think you need to be spending a extra 700-1K USD for just 20 percent more performance.
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
As I re read your post, you only wanna do gaming, so get the RX 9070 XT 16GB+Ryzen 7 9800X3D+CL 38 RAM+Gen 4 SSD. You literally don't need anything more than this for gaming only. Also if you have so much money to spend, get a 1440p OLED monitor to pair with your build.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Alright guys i didnt know reddit is so good people reply fast tysm all i appreciate it i will now stay with the cl38 sorry if i replied to some of u guys with no knowledge am new to this stuff i will now also downgrade my ssd to gen 4 and bit the cpu 9850x3d instead.
BlackCrossAce@reddit
Still sticking with the 5080? Smh, use Youtube mone, on something else man.
LogInevitable7154@reddit
If he’s making content it’s good buy. If not it’s a waste. Up to his tasks. He has all the info— and then some.
If he is taking up “future content creator” mantle, then the 5080 is the Best Buy atm— 5070ti being so ridiculously priced (both are ridiculous— just more ridiculous on 5070ti)
BUT if it’s true value for just gaming— 9070xt/9800x3d/ gen3-5 ssd (literally gen 3 will still perform good on 99% of games I bet)/ 32gb ram 6000 cl38/ 750-1000w psu— and off to the races spending considerably less. Likely to find better used 9070xt deals too!
That’s the tipping point— exactly why it is that you’re doing on this thing. It doesn’t seem the OP has his use clearly defined. He says it’s mainly gaming, but needs more because he wants to maybe livestream and cut some content.
If it’s like 1 piece of content Every 1-2 months… and it’s not like a main thing— I’d say amd still good here.
Defined use case= defined build. We do t have that here. A bit of confusion still. The info is in though.
Plus-Raspberry-9551@reddit
U can overclock the 38 to 30 urself if ur lucky enough
Vegetable-Matter3953@reddit
Yeah if you get Hynix Dies you just need to apply the same timings as the CL30 stuff and you good to go. Maybe you need to adjust the voltage to 1.4V but even that is good.
Appropriate-Sea2946@reddit
Cl38 is worth it especially with the price even though AMD recommends cl30. Performance wise is like few fps lower in games.
Zoli1989@reddit
Better spend that extra on a 9800x3D over the 7800x3D. Will net you more performance than CL30 vs CL38 if you really need it.
CivilChaos@reddit
Why not go for a 5070ti, 9800x3d, gen4 SSD and a high quality 850w psu? also cl38 will be fine.
ucwepn@reddit
It’s like 1 or 2% difference or some such, hardly noticeable at all. Unless you’re build maxing the cl38 is fine.
DiasamidzeDato1@reddit
i'd get asrock b850 pro rs wifi instead of msi, or at least asus b850 max gaming wifi, msi has many issues reported look it up, like bios settings not saving, longer boot times, usb disconnecting, networking drops etc. asrock is 8 layer goat btw with proper vrm so you decide
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Ill check it out! Thank you
CivilChaos@reddit
ASRock makes bad am5 mobos
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
ASSRock burns the X3D CPUs mate. And in the future if he wanted to upgrade to a 9800X3D or the 9850X3D he would wanna change the mobo. Don't go with ASRock
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Thanks bro
DiasamidzeDato1@reddit
about ram get 6000 cl32, or 6400 cl 32, 6400 cl 38 is bad
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
LOL, you clearly don't know anything you are talking about.
WinAdventurous5193@reddit (OP)
Okay so according to the comments i should stick with 38cl thanks guys, you think this build is good for the budget or should i make changes for stuff?
Born_Bad_1294@reddit
Change what I told you
isppsthsscrfrhlp@reddit
Basically no. With x3d cpus, ram speed or latency doesn't matter as much. You're going for a 5080, so you're probably going for 1440p/4k, making ram speed even less important.