3600 or 2700x at a price of $120
3600 or 2700x at a price of $120
Hey everyone! As mentioned in the title, my friend secured a 2700x at $120. He was a bit puzzled because he initially aimed for a 3600, which works well for both gaming and productivity. However, if he saves up, a 2700x could let him upgrade to a 5700x instead of a 5700. This gives him two options: 2700x + 5700x or 3600 + 5700. He plans to use the PC for 50% of his work—CAD, video editing, photo editing when needed, and some architectural 3D rendering apps (sorry, not my specialty). The other half will be for gaming, covering both e-sports and AAA games. I think this setup could last him at least three years, even starting from an i7 870 (1st gen). It’s not a huge deal if he lowers the game settings over time, as long as it still handles real tasks. Thanks a lot!
Despite being 30% weaker, the 2700X offers more power than the 3600. For gaming purposes, the 3600 remains superior, but overall it outperforms most other options.
I’d probably choose the 3600 processor. From what I’ve noticed, the performance difference between the 5700 and 5700 XT isn’t as big as it is between a 3600 and a 2700x. Generally, I’ve found it simpler to upgrade a GPU than a CPU when I need a performance increase later.
The distinction between 2700x and 3600 becomes hard to see unless you're using a 2080 Ti or adjusting for a high refresh 1080p screen. With 5700 or 5700x the gap stays small. At 1440p, neither 5700 nor 5700x will reliably hit 144+ in most recent titles, so it doesn't matter which CPU you choose—I don't believe the 3600 reaches many performance benchmarks that the 2700x won't, and I think they'll both become outdated around the same time.
At the end of the day you're likely correct, though I believe the 3600 could benefit more from a future GPU upgrade compared to the 2700x. I remember when I built systems on a tighter budget and focused on long-term performance, I typically swap my GPU twice as often as my CPU. Generally speaking, choosing the newest CPU at the time of setup has usually been a smart move.
It seems you're considering the performance trade-offs between different GPU models. If you're planning to use a 3000-series chip, getting the 3700x might be wise. Assuming you expect a 5700xt to last at least three years, with a mid-range GPU upgrade to an 2080ti level in another three years, the current 2080ti specs might just be a snapshot of what future chips could achieve. Check the 1080p benchmarks for more insight. Even with an 2080ti, the gap between 2700x and 3600x is almost negligible. Most reviews show very similar results, with differences under 10%. However, at higher resolutions like 1440p, modern CPUs with six or more cores make the difference less noticeable. Moving forward, a 33% increase in cores will likely have a bigger impact as developers shift focus toward parallel processing rather than raw power.
PCI 4.0 is something I’ve been noticing lately. It seems Radeon is already shifting its cards to newer standards, and Nvidia is likely following suit on upcoming models. This change probably wouldn’t happen without a clear reason. Right now, a 2080 Ti model isn’t fully using PCI 3.0, so there’s no certainty it will remain adequate in three years. However, I believe the 2080 Ti is nearing its PCI 3.0 limits, making it quite likely that PCI 4.0 could become necessary for top performance in three years, even with a mid-range card. I see this as a clear case of what I’m saying. This isn’t about GPUs, but it helps illustrate the idea. When I purchased my current Ryzen 1600 CPU, AMD promised support for AM4 sockets for a long time. At the time, I was on a tight budget and bought a basic B350 MB. Over the years, I assumed upgrading to any AM4 CPU would be smooth. Fast forward, and my B350 can’t handle a Ryzen 3000. Had I spent about $50 more to upgrade to a B450 MB, this problem wouldn’t exist. This isn’t the only situation where cutting costs led to big problems later. The 2700/2700x vs 3600 processor discussion is similar. You can get the 2700/2700x and save a bit, but what if you need PCI 4.0 later? Personally, I think it’s smarter to invest a little extra now, even if it means delaying a purchase by a month or two, just to be sure.
He’s choosing an x570 with a 3600, which adds expense. Even a 2080ti can’t handle PCIe 3.0 well. At this stage, PCIe 4 is more suited for SSDs. I’m in agreement about investing a bit more, which is why I suggested skipping the 3600 and getting a 3700x if he’s moving to the 3000 series.