Gaming rig showdown: 9900X vs. 7900X in two identical Cyberpower PCs

With hardware releases flying out left, right, and centre, it’s difficult to pin down your next upgrade. I should know: my personal build just gave up the ghost, and I’m on the hunt for my next companion. The main question on my lips is whether to jump to AMD’s latest or stick with something tried and tested, like the previous gen.

To help me in my quest, CyberpowerPC UK sent over two Ultra R99 Pro gaming PCs to compare side-by-side. On the surface, these two beasts look identical. If corporate needed you to find the difference between them, you’d say they’re the same picture. Fortunately, this isn’t a surface-level spot of the difference; it’s a gladiator brawl to see what an AMD Ryzen 9 9900X turnkey rig brings to the table compared to Ryzen 9 7900X.

Before we size up our contenders, your first challenge is not to get sucked in by the glitz and glamour. That’s easier said than done. Each system is nestled inside a Hyte Y70 Touch chassis, which is a treat for the eyes and… fingers. Alongside a beautiful panoramic view of your components, the case features a 14.1in ten-point multi-touch capacitive LCD panel on the front.

Powered by Hyte’s Nexus app, the software leaves something to be desired with just a few different widgets to choose from. The nerd in me loves seeing vitals like temps and loads displayed so prominently, but most people I know will immediately stick a GIF or video on repeat and call it a day. That said, Spotify integration comes in particularly handy.

There is an option to request new widgets, although I have no idea how long it’ll take. Observationally speaking, Hyte’s team is fairly small, so only the most popular suggestions will become a priority. Throughout my testing, I found the 1100×3840 resolution screen functions best as a second vertical monitor, stretching ordinary windows to fit.

Beneath the tempered glass panel lies a Corsair-shaped rainbow. Everything from the H100i RGB AIO to the seven QX120 fans is iCue Link-compatible, letting you sync your pastel dream. I can tell you first-hand the benefits of setting up an iCue Link system are worth it with no cables in sight. Twin sticks of Dominator Titanium DDR5 memory complete the look with RGB heatsinks.

The graphics card is strangely muted by comparison, lacking any sort of lighting. This isn’t an issue, as there is such a thing as too much; it is just an oddity given all the other bling. With just how hulking MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Ventus 3X is, I feel extra RGB would only distract in its vertical orientation, particularly as these PCs are destined to sit on your desk just a few feet from your face.

AMD’s thoughtful CPU compatibility is what makes this comparison possible, as both the Zen 5-based Ryzen 9 9900X and Zen 4-based Ryzen 9 7900X support AM5 sockets. This means each straddles an MSI MAG X670E Tomahawk WiFi motherboard updated with the latest BIOS for a true head-to-head, kicking any variables to the curb.

As you can imagine, such luxuries come at a premium. CyberpowerPC UK Ultra R99 Pro costs £3,699, or £92 less when configured with a 7900X. Believe it or not, this is actually good value on both fronts, as the total build cost isn’t far off the sum of all components.

Hyte originally retailed Y70 Touch at £349.98. Since it’s currently out of stock, the only way to get your hands on it is to grab a standard Y70 for £205 and mod it with the Infinite display upgrade. This is actually a little different, with a 14.5in five-point touchscreen at half the resolution, yet still costs an eye-watering £216. Going this route would ramp up a similar DIY build to a grand total of £3,546 and a bit of unnecessary faff.

This is a long way to say that even if Hyte eventually restocks its funky chassis, £150 for labour is a steal, especially considering both systems have a warranty. This entitles you to five years’ labour, two years’ parts, 12 months’ collect and return, and a lifetime of online tech support.

Cyberpower’s configurator offers myriad options, but how does the 9900X compares to the previous generation? Let’s dig in.

Performance

Apps

As we’ve seen in our many head-to-heads, 9000 Series chips come to life in productivity and AI-driven apps, owing to the goodness of AMD’s Zen 5 architecture. Ryzen 9 9900X takes up to a 16% lead in single-core Cinebench 2024 and 13% in Geekbench 6. The similarities in 12-core and 24-thread structures bring it a little closer in multi-core tests, where the gap narrows to between 8 and 11%, respectively.

Putting this performance into everyday workloads doesn’t quite show the same stark differences. In fact, Ryzen 9 9900X gains just 4% over its predecessor in PCMark 10. Still, both are playing with the big boys, putting them in the same realm as Intel’s Core i9-14900K.

Memory

It’s practically neck and neck in AIDA Memory tests because AMD hasn’t changed its CPU topology between generations. Foundational improvements to Zen 5 see Ryzen 9 9900X eke the win in frequency speeds, while 7900X boasts 0.2ns less latency. As you might expect, you’d be hard-pressed to notice a difference between the two in real-world applications in a blind test.

Storage

A 2TB WD Black SN850X is already superb out the gate, but Ryzen 9 9900X handles it a touch better. It almost saturates the entire Gen 4 SSD bandwidth with 227MB/s quicker read times and 62MB/s faster write speeds. Facing facts, neither system will be the last to load into a lobby, but AMD’s latest will give you a small advantage.

Gaming

Throw an MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Ventus 3X at a game, and you know you’ll have a good time. No matter what this beast is paired with, it rips through 3DMark with some of the best scores yet. This level of consistency is something we also saw with Ryzen 9 9950X and other modern chips.

HD gamers, rejoice. Ryzen 9 9900X handles Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail a touch better than Zen 4, offering a 6.5% boost at 1080p. It’s anyone’s game from 1440p onwards, with <3% differentials all around.

Interestingly, Zen 4 handles Assassin’s Creed Valhalla a little better. There’s not much skin in the game between both chips, but the extra fps at all three resolutions perhaps comes from Ryzen 9 7900X’s higher 4.7GHz boost clock compared to 9900X’s 4.4GHz.

Ryzen 9 9900X brings modest gains to Far Cry 6, offering 5% better frame rates at HD and 4.4% at QHD. Even the minimums are around 10.8% more reliable than its predecessor.

Much like with Valhalla, the higher frequencies come in clutch for Ryzen 9 7900X, which takes a small lead at higher resolutions but nothing more than 1-3%. It’s not a particularly demanding game at ultra quality, so you can’t go wrong here, but 9900X takes the true victory with a substantial 16.6% performance gap at HD.

It’s always nice to include something fresher from time to time, and Black Myth: Wukong looks an absolute treat. The good news is that you can’t go wrong, no matter which CPU you’re interested in. The bad news is that it’s pretty demanding at the top Cinematic quality preset, even with upsclers lending a helping hand. DLSS takes a clear advantage, though, so leverage that where you can.

Vitals

While Intel has become more power-hungry over the years, AMD has maintained its focus on efficiency. Both Cyberpower systems admittedly have a higher idle wattage than I’d like, but such is the way when you chuck an extra screen into the mix. Either way, each shines under load as two of the most conservative pre-builts I’ve tested. As much as I want to praise both, Ryzen 9 9900X is the clear winner, asking for just 292W.

Temperature is another area where Zen 5 shines; less power produced means less heat. Placing both systems in an ambient 21°C room, CyberpowerPC UK Ultra R99 Pro is one of the coolest I’ve had my hands on, with a 14.8°C advantage over its predecessor. There’s nothing wrong with Ryzen 9 7900X, but the older architecture and higher frequency definitely run toastier.

This has an impact on the rest of the system. Despite housing the same MSI GeForce RTX 4090 Ventus 3X, the graphics card runs hotter in Cyberpower’s previous-gen PC. Extra heat from any one component will inevitably have a knock-on effect.

Who’d have thunk it? Identical Corsair fans and AIOs perform identically. At the very least, this is a testament to consistency in Cyberpower’s build and Corsair’s components.

Conclusion

CyberpowerPC UK Ultra R99 Pro belongs on your desk, soaking up the spotlight. Not only is it an RGB treat for the eyes, it’s a practical addition to your setup with an interactive touchscreen that helps with anything from displaying Discord and temps to signing documents. Apps are somewhat limited, but there’s enough for it to feel special. Just keep in mind that it takes up its fair share of space at 470x320x470mm.

Value is another question entirely. Given you can’t get Hyte Y70 Touch anywhere but attached to a prebuilt, there’s a layer of exclusivity that warrants the additional cost. I can’t say the same for AMD Ryzen 9 9900X, which doesn’t offer the generational leap you’d expect for the premium. It’s the obvious option for those upgrading from much older gear, but anyone remotely conscious of budget or in the market for gaming chops may still consider the previous generation. Those already rocking a 7000 Series chip certainly shouldn’t feel the need to rush out and upgrade.

Fortunately, that’s the beauty of CyberpowerPC’s online configurator. There are plenty of options to keep the exact same build but opt for Ryzen 9 7900X instead. That way, you’ll get mostly the same gaming performance but save £92 in the process. You can even get the mighty Ryzen 9 7900X3D a touch cheaper than the newer spec if gaming is your main aim.

CyberpowerPC UK Ultra R99 Pro

Verdict: an extravagant gaming PC with an enticing layer of exclusivity that’s best suited to the previous gen.

Pros

Fancy touchscreen
Gorgeous RGB-lit case
Low temperatures
Choose your specs

Cons

9900X lacks value
Limited apps

Buy