6 or 8 cores are suitable for gaming depending on the game requirements and your system's capabilities.
6 or 8 cores are suitable for gaming depending on the game requirements and your system's capabilities.
I'm feeling a bit stuck too. Right now, I might also get a 3600. A 3700x could make sense since I work in software development and sometimes need more cores, but that's quite an investment. In short, I think I'll wait until Zen 3 or even Zen 4 comes out. Buying Zen 3 doesn't seem very attractive because it's likely the last generation using AM4. I'd prefer AM5 with the chance to upgrade later.
It makes sense given their plan to launch the 4000 series soon. If you can, waiting might be worthwhile since I’m currently deciding between an older 8-core and a newer 6-core processor. Now I’m leaning toward the 6-core option because the price gap is only £15 between the 3600 and the X model. I’m not planning any overclocking soon, so the X could still be a good choice. Ryzen models often support backward compatibility, which might let them run Am4 again before upgrading later, especially with the possibility of DDR5 memory support.
SMT/HT remains in place for now, until more efficient methods for boosting processing efficiency are developed. It’s likely they’ll adopt a highly flexible SMT approach where threads aren’t tied to a single unit or workflow. Then they might shift focus from reporting processor core/thread counts to highlighting the number of parallel processing streams.
Eight essential components should be the baseline, though I wish I hadn’t skipped that myself. More is usually better, especially if you’re planning upgrades regularly.
Remaining a significant distance from certain edge cases means a minimum of more than 4c/4t 6c/6t will be acceptable for most users in the near future, provided you need more than the baseline. If you require higher performance, consider purchasing the full specs—8 is ideal if possible. Even without them, you can still enjoy games comfortably as long as they aren’t pushing your hardware too hard. A typical gaming PC should handle AAA titles at maximum settings without issues, and it’s okay to stress the CPU a bit. A budget system will usually meet the minimum requirements of its release or the previous year. Those with 6c/6t need not worry just yet—just keep an eye on your comfort level. I find it annoying when enthusiasts exaggerate; most gamers aren’t using cutting-edge tech and often lag behind by about four years.
Indeed, many players continue to use older processors and can enjoy contemporary titles.
They often hear claims about sticking with 6 cores, saying 6c/12t works best for gaming. Some argue more cores mean better performance, especially if you can afford them. But most people aim for 60+ frames to beat consoles, and many older CPUs (4c/5+) can handle that. I struggled deciding between 3600x or 2700x, but I kept seeing 6 as the sweet spot, 8 as unnecessary. The future is coming, and you’ll need 8 for top performance, though it’s still unclear what high-end enthusiasts will demand.