Choosing the right CPU for gaming and purchasing options (3600 vs 3700)
Choosing the right CPU for gaming and purchasing options (3600 vs 3700)
Hello! It seems these topics often appear in discussions on forums or Reddit. Most people suggest going for the 3600 if you're just gaming, as it offers solid performance without breaking the bank. The 3700 mainly boosts core count but doesn't significantly raise clock speed, which is what you're correct about. I'm in a situation where I need to decide between the two options. Some say the 3700 is better for the future and worth the extra $100, while others think it's only worth it if you plan to upgrade later. I'm wondering if it makes sense to stick with the 3600 and wait for a more powerful model when Series 4xxx releases, especially since I don't expect heavy multitasking. Regarding the 6c12t benchmark, people usually mean the game alone, not the whole system. It's possible they're ignoring background apps and bloatware that use resources. Would you consider those factors when deciding? It's definitely a practical question, and I appreciate your advice.
Currently, games typically rely on fewer than six cores, with some running at just four or eight cores. Adding more threads doesn’t noticeably boost frame rates these days. Predicting future performance is uncertain, but more cores will eventually become beneficial. The 3600 processor is a solid choice right now, and it should be more affordable to purchase and upgrade to the 4700X later when additional cores are required. Running six cores should comfortably handle background tasks, even if a game demands full six cores or more—most of the time it uses only half that amount, leaving room for other processes.
The decision is yours. A 3600 seems sufficient; a 3700 could offer better long-term value for the extra $100. However, I wouldn't upgrade within a few generations anyway, making the upgrade path seem unnecessary. Choose either now or wait until around four years before upgrading to something new, not an outdated model.
the 3700 offers a boost that is 200mhz greater than the 3600. It seems unlikely AMD will release a new CPU line on the same socket soon, so don't rely on installing the latest AMD chips on your board. Usually they don’t use up too many resources, which isn’t enough to notice a difference. Since the 3600 works well with a 2080 or 2080ti without limiting GPU performance, background apps probably won’t make much of a difference. The Ryzen 3700x shines in scenarios beyond gaming—streaming, editing, or heavy multitasking—and it’s quite future-proof. I’d suggest spending a bit more on a better GPU if you mainly play games. If you stream, edit, or handle lots of tasks, the 3700x could be a better fit as extra cores help manage workloads and speed up rendering.
I see many people mention upcoming consoles in their discussions, mentioning 8C16T, but I'm not sure if that's strong enough to confirm games will use it soon. Planning for the future is tough because it's hard to predict exactly when things change. I don't want to be stuck early—ideally upgrading every couple of years and selling my old gear. Maybe I'll buy used items later. Tech tends to lose value quickly, so it's best to just relax.
I thought 4xxx was gonna be the last am4? Additionally, hasn't there been a bunch of buzz lately that the x570 and b450 boards will support the next release? Tho tbh, I think it would be strange if AMD didnt make 4xxx not a part of AM4 considering ddr5 is coming out soon(unless 4xxx will support ddr5 and not ddr4?) Lots of ppl say OCing the 3600 isn't worth it, but you point out the 3700 is 200mhz. If I can ask directly, does that even matter then - that 200mhz boost? Cause couldn't I also achieve that on my own by OCING with a proper mobo and cooler? Maybe even push it a little higher if safe/possible? I actually have a 1080, which I'm fine with atm(Nvidia's/AMD next release may change my mind). I think the 3600 should suffice, tho mentally its kinda hard to accept cause of the huge meta of "get the 3700!! its only 100 more" -___-.
In my perspective, "future proofing" isn't about chasing trends. It's about preparing your setup for potential changes in use cases. Of course, there are some exceptions. For instance, four on the top was once considered the norm for gaming for a whole decade. Then, as new standards emerged, six on the twelve became the mid-range choice. At that time, I would have recommended switching from four to six because it marked the end of a long quad-core era. Some judgment and careful thought can guide your choices. Six on the twelve has only been around for a short time, and it will take a long time before this becomes outdated. It's been nearly three years, and so far there hasn't been a noticeable advantage between a strong six on the twelve and an equally strong eight on the sixteen. For example, if you were eyeing a Ryzen 5 1600 in 2017 and thought about securing your CPU for future gaming needs, upgrading to a Ryzen 7 1800x might have seemed smart. But three years on, the difference in performance between a clocked 1600 and 1800x hasn't been significant. And currently, six on the twelve still doesn't pose a major limitation for gaming. With the first-gen Ryzen, it's been more about IPC. So far, gaming hasn't changed much. If you started streaming or video editing later, the extra cores added value. That made sense. Now, if you upgraded to a 3700x instead of a 3600, games wouldn't have benefited much from more threads. They still handled the same workload. But they require higher IPC, and both chips offer nearly the same. In that case, you didn't gain much, and upgrading was still necessary. Upgrading from a 3600 to an older 3900x wouldn't have improved your gaming results in 2023. Overall, I suggest comparing a 1600 with a 1800x to see if buying the latter would have been wise for gaming in three years. Those who chose a 1500x can still play games well.
I see, I need to adjust my setup. The 3600 model is 159, the 3600x is 179 and the 3700 is 269.99. I'm moving to a new rig. I own a 7700k that I plan to pass on to my younger brother, along with its motherboard and the 2400mhzddr4 it comes with. It will run with a 1080p display, 650w power supply, and a Phanteks Entho Pro M. I play at 1440p at 144hz, currently enjoy playing PUGBG, Insurgency Sandstorm, and AC Odyssey (struggling with consistent FPS... I doubt any CPU can meet the demands for this game), and I’m excited to try Cyberpunk when it launches.
AC is essentially a low-effort optimization game, so I won’t evaluate your stats based on that. Unless you’re mainly upgrading for your brother, I’d hold off. The 7700k with an overclock remains strong and can handle many games just as well or better than a 3600, particularly those that don’t use more memory. You might even see slower performance in certain cases. As someone using an 8700k (your chip plus two extra HT cores), I wouldn’t upgrade unless a new task demands more resources I haven’t used before. The improvement isn’t significant enough to justify it.