7960X/X299 in 2022 for gaming and virtual machines
7960X/X299 in 2022 for gaming and virtual machines
Hi everyone, I’m thinking about switching from a Ryzen 3600 setup to a 16-core 7960X based on the Linus video. I’m currently using Unraid and find the six cores a bit restrictive for running several virtual machines. I also need plenty of PCIe lanes to support multiple GPUs for passthrough, so a higher-end Ryzen CPU isn’t ideal. I’m okay sacrificing some gaming performance but hope to fix it by overclocking my strongest cores and locking others down to stay within power limits. If anyone has experience with gaming on an X299, I’d love to hear their thoughts. Also, are there any issues with buying into an older platform? Would you generally recommend this route? I’m planning to buy a 7960X and an X299 motherboard for around £200 ($242) each on eBay. Thanks in advance! George
Updating your BIOS and switching to a Ryzen 5000 series chip would give you a much better experience. The 7960X would struggle compared to the 5950X, according to someone who uses a 10940X.
Consider a different board since the 7960x runs slowly. It's not ideal for gaming, though it works fine for VMs. You can find a used 3950x for under $300, or even buy one recently for €205 and it performs exceptionally well. It outperforms the 7960x while using significantly less power. Its smart boosting also reduces the need for heavy management. Interestingly, the power savings can pay off over time—your investment in the Ryzen might eventually match or exceed the higher upfront cost of the 7960x due to lower energy use. The x299 platform has been largely ignored since its launch and is in a difficult situation, so I wouldn't suggest it.