In addition to discussing the number of cores in the 7700X, this article will discuss recommendations for compatible motherboards, CPU coolers, and memory.
AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPUs have 8 cores.
Check out our Recommended Motherboards for the Ryzen 7 7700X below.
The AMD Ryzen 7 7700X has 16 threads. The processors provide two threads for each of the 8 cores.
The processor has a 4.5 GHz base frequency and supports a 5.4 GHz max boost frequency.
Processor Name Suffix | Meaning |
---|---|
X | "X" means it is an extended frequency range CPU. These CPUs support higher frequencies than standard CPUs. |
The Ryzen 7000-series CPUs contain integrated graphics, and a separate graphics card isn't required if your motherboard includes video-output connectors (e.g., HDMI).
A CPU cooler's TDP (Thermal Design Power) rating indicates how much heat it can dissipate in watts. If the cooler can't keep your CPU cool enough, your CPU may throttle (slow down), and your cooler will constantly run at full speed.
AMD CPU specifications indicate this power dissipation number as "TDP."
The Ryzen 7 7700X has a TDP of 105 watts.
A CPU cooler can still work with a lower TDP rating than the TDP of a CPU. However, the CPU will eventually throttle itself to a lower frequency to allow itself to cool.
The CPU may not achieve or maintain maximum boost speeds without adequate cooling.
Learn more in What is the Best Type of CPU cooler for a Gaming PC?
For AMD's Zen 4-based Ryzen 7 7700X processor, you'll need a motherboard with an AM5 socket and a compatible chipset.
Motherboards for AMD processors are made with chipsets provided by AMD. Each chipset offers a unique set of capabilities. However, motherboards must explicitly support features and capabilities for you to use them. Verify that a motherboard supports the features and capabilities you desire.
Ryzen 7000-series CPUs, which includes the Ryzen 7 7700X, are compatible with the 600-series consumer chipsets. Supported chipsets include the X670E, X670, B650E, and B650.
The X670E is our recommended motherboard chipset for the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU, as it provides the most functionality and full support for PCIe 5.0. The Ryzen 7 7700X CPU also supports PCIe 5.0.
For a detailed comparison of these chipsets and PCIe speeds, check out my article Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU?.
- Find Zen 4 X670E Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find Zen 4 X670 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find Zen 4 B650E Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Find Zen 4 B650 Motherboards on Amazon (affiliate link).
Best Feature Motherboard
- Our recommended feature-rich motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 7 7700X:
ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- PCIe 5.0 support
- X670E chipset
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
- Four NVMe M.2
slots and Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports
- Wi-Fi 6E provides fast connections to a Wi-Fi router.
- Bluetooth 5.2 support
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds and 12 USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports
- Check the latest price of the ASUS ROG Strix X670E-E Gaming Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
Runner-Up Motherboard
- Our recommended runner-up motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 7 7700X:
GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- PCIe 5.0 support
- X670E chipset
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
- Four NVMe M.2
slots and Six SATA 6 Gb/s ports
- Bluetooth 5.3 support
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds
- Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE X670E AORUS Master Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
Best Value Motherboard
- Our recommended value motherboard to pair with the Ryzen 7 7700X:
GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX Motherboard Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- PCIe 4.0 for graphics
- X670 chipset
- One 2.5 Gb Ethernet port
- Four NVMe M.2
slots and Four SATA 6 Gb/s ports. PCIe 5.0 speeds for one of the M.2 slots
- Bluetooth 5.2 support
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 offers 20 Gbps USB speeds
- Check the latest price of the GIGABYTE X670 AORUS Elite AX Motherboard on Amazon (affiliate link).
The boxed version of the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU does not come with a CPU cooler, so you'll need to purchase one separately.
Best All-in-One Liquid Cooler
- Check the latest price of the CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD on Amazon (affiliate link).
- This cooler is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, sTRX4, sTR4 (Intel LGA 1700 is supported with CW-8960091 or CW-8960093 kits).
- 350-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
- It provides powerful low-noise cooling and RGB lighting with a customizable LCD display which can display your CPU temperature or other graphics.
- It has 120mm CORSAIR ML RGB ELITE magnetic levitation fans for great CPU cooling performance.
- Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space!
CORSAIR iCUE H150i ELITE LCD Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Runner-Up All-in-One Liquid Cooler
- Check the latest price of the Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID 360 ARGB Sync on Amazon (affiliate link).
- TOUGHLIQUID Series is designed to fit Intel and AMD sockets, including the following models: Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2011-v3, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3+, AM3, AM2+, AM2, FM2, FM1.
- We estimate that this supports roughly a 250-watt TDP (Thermal Design Power).
- This Liquid cooler supports 5V RGB compatible motherboards.
- Equipped with TOUGHFAN 12 2000RPM and supports ARGB lighting on the waterblock.
- Make sure your computer case dimensions support this, as it will take up a decent amount of space. There is a smaller version available, if needed.
Thermaltake TOUGHLIQUID Liquid CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Best Dual-Fan Air CPU Cooler
- Check the latest price of the Noctua NH-D15 on Amazon (affiliate link).
- Dual 140 mm fans provide 220-watt TDP (183 NSPR) of cooling capability.
- Supports a variety of CPU sockets, including Intel LGA 1700, 1200, 1156, 1155, 1151, 1150, 2011, 2066 and AMD AM5, AM4, AM3, AM3+, AM2, AM2+, FM2, FM2+.
- Quiet operation at 24.6 dBA.
Noctua NH-D15, Premium CPU Cooler Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
Before purchasing memory, review your motherboard specification to verify which speeds are supported. For example, if a DDR4 motherboard stated that it supports "DDR4 3400(O.C.) / 3333(O.C.) / 3300(O.C.) / 3200 / 3000," that would mean that it could support DDR4-3400, DDR4-3333, and DDR4-3300 with memory overclocking, and DDR4-3200 and DDR4-3000 at stock speeds. Motherboard specifications also indicate the maximum capacity per stick of RAM (DIMM) and across all slots.
Recommended Stock-Speed DDR5
- At an effective frequency of 5200 MHz, this memory hits the fastest DDR5 speed supported by AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU without overclocking.
Kingston Fury Beast 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) 5200 MHz DDR5 Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- Compact heat spreaders avoid conflicting with a CPU cooler.
Recommended DDR5 for Overclockers
- This DDR5 memory is designed for overclocking to an effective frequency of 6200 MHz.
Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB DDR5 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) 6200 MHz Check Price on Amazon Amazon Affiliate Link
- Easy to tune and overclock with Corsair's iCUE software.
- Onboard voltage regulation allows for more controlled overclocking.
- Which Chipsets Work With AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU?
- Choosing the Best Power Supply for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU
- Choosing the Best Motherboard for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X
- Is the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU Good for Gaming?
- Choosing the Best RAM for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X CPU
- Choosing the Best CPU Cooler for AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X
- What Is the TDP of the Ryzen 7 7700X CPU?
- How Many Cores Do AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPUs Have?
Want to brush up on other new technologies to consider when building a computer? Check out these articles:
- Cases:
- CPUs:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 5.0?
- Which Intel and AMD CPUs Support PCIe 4.0?
- LGA 1700 CPU List
- LGA 1200 CPU List
- Look up an Intel or AMD CPU on TechReviewer for related recommendations:
- The Best CPUs for Gaming
- CPU Coolers:
- Storage:
- Memory:
- PCI-Express:
- Motherboards:
- Graphics Cards:
- Power Supplies:
- Keyboards:
- Monitors: