Comparing QuestionX99 with present chipsets for gaming
Comparing QuestionX99 with present chipsets for gaming
Hello, I own a Cooler Master HAF X, which is a fairly large case, and it marks the beginning of a new project for me.
My budget for a new CPU, RAM, and motherboard is around €350.
I intended to purchase a Ryzen 5 3600x, two 8GB of RAM, and a Gigabyte AORUS B450. In my country, these components are available brand new for about €350, but that’s just too small for me, and the case is the issue.
I’ve been checking the used market and a X99 chipset offer caught my attention.
I discovered an i7 5960X and a Gigabyte GA-X99-SLI LGA 2011 V3 for €210.
Since DDR4 RAM is very affordable right now, I can find a decent 2x16GB or 4x8GB RGB RAM kit for around €100 new, bringing the total to about €300, leaving €50 for an air cooler I can use until I save up for a custom watercooling loop.
I also ordered a Sapphire Nitro+ Vega 56 8GB GPU, which I plan to mount vertically.
It’s clear where this project is heading. It’s a large motherboard, an 8-core 16-thread CPU that still performs well in modern games, and a custom watercooling loop in the future.
I mainly play MOBA and FPS games, but I occasionally enjoy AAA titles like God of War, Witcher 3, Forza Horizon 5, Need for Speed, etc.
I’m playing at 1080p and 144Hz.
I don’t aim for perfection in performance; I don’t want everything to be ultra. I still want a big PC with a custom watercooling loop, nice RGB lighting, and plenty of storage.
What are your thoughts on this?
Is the X99 outdated or not suitable for my needs?
I don’t have to buy everything immediately—I’ll build it over the next couple of years, treating it as a “progress build,” so I’m not in a rush.
Another way to evaluate processors is by checking their passmark scores.
For instance, the 3600X features 12 processing threads and a total rating of 18248, which reflects maximum utilization. This scenario is rare in gaming.
Multiplayer scenarios with numerous players stand out as an exception.
The single-thread rating stands at 2658.
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X Benchmark
In comparison, the 5960x offers 16 threads but delivers lower performance, scoring 12672/1972.
Intel Core i7-5960X Benchmark
A contemporary $110 i3-12100 chip with 8 threads performs well, achieving a rating of 14540/3550.
The single-thread speed is what games most rely on.
You do know that by the time it is built, your system will be 11 years old and even Windows 10 support will have ended, right? Windows 12 drops late next year and neither it nor Windows 11 support X99/Haswell-E so you won't be able to play the latest AAA games for long. Fine for photo and video editing in Linux, but gaming is still mostly a Windows thing.
There's nothing wrong with putting a modern small motherboard into a big case
Another way to evaluate processors is by checking their passmark scores.
For instance, the 3600X features 12 processing threads and a total rating of 18248, which reflects maximum utilization. This scenario is rare in gaming.
Multiplayer scenarios with numerous players stand out as an exception.
The single-thread rating stands at 2658.
AMD Ryzen 5 3600X Benchmark
In comparison, the 5960x offers 16 threads but delivers lower performance, scoring 12672/1972.
Intel Core i7-5960X Benchmark
A contemporary $110 i3-12100 chip with 8 threads performs well, achieving a rating of 14540/3550.
The single-thread speed is what games most rely on.