The effect of different processing histories on the precipitation kinetics and natural age hardening behaviour of AA7xxx alloys is investigated by experimental and modeling techniques. The processing histories include traditional solution treatment and water quenching and pre-aging practices, as well as a simulated die-quenching process. It is found that a low temperature aging (pre-aging process) prior to natural aging, which results in an increase in the hardness value, reduces the precipitate formation capacity and the hardening rate of AA7075 alloy during the room temperature hold period. Similarly, the die-quenching process applied to AA7075 results in a higher hardness in the as-quenched state and a slower kinetics of subsequent natural aging, as compared to the traditional solution-treated and water-quenched material. These results are explained through the effects of pre-aging precipitation, or the presence of dislocations formed during the die-quenching process. The kinetics of precipitation hardening and the yield strength evolution during the natural aging of variously processed AA7xxx alloys are further analyzed and modeled to achieve a better understanding of natural aging as a function of commercially-relevant processing histories.