Check if upgrading to 8 cores is necessary.
Check if upgrading to 8 cores is necessary.
Running a Ryzen 3600 on an x370 board without changing the motherboard, considering the debate over upgrading to 3800X or 3900X for gaming. Both new consoles use 8-core Zen 2 CPUs. You're thinking about keeping the rest of your setup functional for several years beyond just a GPU upgrade.
I’d retain the CPU while switching the motherboard. The X370 is now somewhat obsolete since it lacks Zen 3 support and caps your PCIe 4.0 lanes at 3.0 speeds. Yes, some folks argue it doesn’t matter, but with newer cards it does. Unless this particular X370 model offers unique features (like being signed by Linus or the only one ever produced), I’d opt for a B550 board.
Good news: AMD Ryzen 5000 chips reportedly work with older A320 and X370 boards.
Sure, it's not a big deal. Probably just a small improvement, but it doesn't justify upgrading the motherboard. At this stage, it would be a waste of money—better to save for a switch to AM5/DDR5. Honestly, I'd stick with what you have now. A 3700 might show up on the used market someday, but for gaming it won't make much of a difference. Consoles once had eight cores and took years to keep up with them. You're safer investing in an AM5/DDR5 upgrade; RAM will be expensive, especially if you're getting one of the first models.