Guy Cocker
IN THIS ISSUE OF MAXIMUM PC, we make a return to building a PC that’s more in keeping with our title, going all-out with a top-of-the-line AMD gaming CPU and Nvidia’s fastest GPU. Yes, while it’s a fun challenge to build a sub-$1,000 gaming PC like we did last issue, as our title suggests, we’re most at home when we’re pushing the extremes of what PC tech can do, which is why we were keen to incorporate AMD’s latest top-end 3D V-Cache chip, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D. Can AMD’s extra vertically stacked cache help unlock best-ever gaming performance when paired with an RTX 4090? Or does Intel’s Core i9-13900K, $150 cheaper but now six months old, still hold the crown? Sam’s cover build on page 16 holds all the answers.
On the subject of AMD’s 3D V-Cache offerings, if you’re a gamer, I urge you to head to page 74 to read all about the Ryzen 7 7800X3D CPU. It’s $250 cheaper than the chip used in our cover build, but it’s unbelievably potent when it comes to gaming performance. Sure, it’s not the best all-round chip available, but if all you care about is gaming performance, then it’s the chip to get. The even better news is that we’re already starting to see the CPU discounted, which is great news for those who want performance on a budget. AMD might be struggling slightly at the top-end against Intel, but at the mid-range, it’s on to a winner.