Comparing 3900x and 3950x highlights differences in size and scale.
Comparing 3900x and 3950x highlights differences in size and scale.
I noticed a $250 price gap for the 3950x. I’m thinking about using just one PC for streaming and gaming, and also planning to get a 2080ti. That makes it hard to decide which is better value. Could you share more details about your needs? Your current list is great, but I’d love some advice on optimizing it.
If you’re just streaming and gaming, you’ll handle it perfectly with a 3700x and a 2080 Super. The boost in performance compared to the Ti is impressive. Even if you go with a 2080Ti, using a 3900 or 3950x will only waste your processing power. You won’t get much benefit.
It’s not exactly the 3950X, but definitely the 3900X. It stands out as the top gaming CPU from the Zen 2 lineup, slightly quicker than the 3700X I heard about. The 3950X doesn’t really boost performance much, especially for games. If you’re not heavily doing multicore tasks outside of gaming, go with the 3900X—it’s still a strong pick. On that list, consider a 2x16GB RAM setup for better stability. The P2 works, but cheaper Corsair options or higher-end models like TXM or above usually offer better value. Most high-end parts are pricier and often have more issues, according to what I know.
the p2 series ranks high among top PSU options. a bit pricey yet still delivers great performance. a 2080ti works well; we’re unsure about his resolution needs, but 1440p at high refresh is perfectly acceptable. with a 1080p setup, even a 2080ti is more than sufficient. for the processor, a 3900x seems excessive, though a 3700x overclock would likely offer little extra gain compared to a 3950x or 3950x. i’ve streamed 1080p at 60fps with high bitrate, recording and rendering videos on a 2080ti running at 3700x without any problems. i also play games at 1440p max, mostly using maximum settings except for shooters like destiny, rss, and halo where performance matters most. it’s okay to keep the monitor at 144fps in most titles, as it runs smoothly between 90-130 fps consistently.
The additional cores in the 3950X let him boost the encoder quality noticeably. This change would only slightly affect the visual clarity of the stream.
I understand, I’m still getting the hang of Evga PSUs. He didn’t mention rendering videos, so I left that out. My setup is a 3800x and 2080 Super, and I can stream smoothly at 1080p with 60FPS and rip games without any trouble on 3440x1440p ultra settings. I noticed the price jump to 3900x or 3950x probably won’t make much difference for him. Honestly, I didn’t focus on resolution, but the 2080Ti is really powerful—it’s top-tier right now. Still, it seems the extra cost for performance doesn’t seem worth it, so I was just offering a way to save some money without significantly affecting his gameplay.
Sure, the 3950x seems a bit excessive for this setup. Perhaps if he were running cooperative game servers and streaming them concurrently while playing, you might have a stronger case. Still, I’m sure a 3900x would handle it just fine. Considering I already use a 3700x without any problems, the performance trade-off is definitely something to discuss in today’s Nvidia landscape. The 2080 Super offers only about a 15-20% boost in FPS compared to the 5700X but costs more than double what they charge for. It’s quite a deal. The 2080 Ti gives a slightly better value, though it remains the top choice for gaming at maximum settings on triple-A titles at 1440p and 144hz. If you’re aiming for those high settings with triple A games, the 2080 Ti is still the best option available right now, especially since the 2080 Super rarely delivers a noticeable jump—over 18-23% in many cases. And let’s not forget the power supply chaos; brands like Corsair, EVGA, and Seasonic have produced some of the best supplies at launch, while others have delivered questionable or risky options. Every manufacturer has pros and cons, and I’m still learning to trust Corsair again after years of dealing with subpar low-end headsets.