Comparing the $222 i9-9900 to the $350 Ryzen 9 3900X for gaming and streaming purposes
Comparing the $222 i9-9900 to the $350 Ryzen 9 3900X for gaming and streaming purposes
Looking at the costs, the i9-9900 is more affordable while the Ryzen 9 3900X is pricier. For gaming and streaming, the i9-9900 might offer better performance, but it depends on your specific needs.
Streaming and playing the 3900x The 9900 is currently locked, but the cost is attractive—it offers good value for both streaming and gaming.
It’s a team effort. I haven’t locked in the parts yet, but I can share my current ideas for both the Intel and AMD configurations. Intel options include the i9-9900 3.1 GHz 8-core processor, a quiet cooler for the Dark Rock Pro 4, and a Gigabyte Z390 AORUS PRO WIFI ATX motherboard. AMD suggestions feature the Ryzen 9 3900X, a compatible cooler, G.Skill Ripjaws V memory, and a Seagate Barracuda drive. Prices are listed with shipping, taxes, and discounts included. Overall totals range from $1741 to $1684 depending on selections. All numbers come from PCPartPicker data as of June 2020.
I was wondering about that because it seems important to you.
What’s “GPU bound”, I’m new to this. I’m not upgrading my GPU until the 3000 Series releases.
I recommend the AMD version, with a few adjustments. For around $150 you can purchase a premium NVMe SSD such as the WD SN750, Sabrent Rocket or Samsung 970 Evo—units like these consume far less than the 750W required for that configuration. There are superior options beyond the EVGA G3 available. I’d opt for a Corsair RM550x or similar, and consider a straight Power 11 with 550W output paired with an NVENC-enabled GPU, eliminating the need for the 12C/24T drives found in the 3900X. For gaming, a 3700X or 3600 would be more suitable instead of the 3900X. The reason I caution against the Intel build is that Z390 is no longer supported, leaving no upgrade path. With X570 you can upgrade to higher core Zen 2 chips when prices drop, or switch to Zen 3 when they become available later this year.
It seems the Dark Rock Pro 4 is extremely strong for any CPU or a non-pro model, offering better value overall.