Consider constructing a fresh setup or enhance the existing one.
Consider constructing a fresh setup or enhance the existing one.
Hello everyone,
I rely on my setup for gaming (Witcher 3, ESO, Gloomhaven, Assassins' Creed Valhalla – planning to try AC Mirage, Baldur's Gate 3, and possibly Starfield) but I don’t really want to push them to maximum settings. I’m fine with a medium to high range. I also use it for Adobe applications (Lightroom, Photoshop & Premiere Elements), Blender, AutoCAD, 3DS Max, Maya, Solidworks, and various other 3D CAD/modeling programs – most of the time for personal projects, while the others are used for more professional tasks (I sometimes get 3D CAD/modelling contracts).
Right now I’m running a Ryzen 7 3700X on an X570 m0b0 (ASUS ROG CROSSHAIR VIII HERO) with 16GB RAM (dual-channel, 3600MHz); my GPU is a 1660Ti. I usually upgrade the main components together – CPU, motherboard, RAM – then swap in a new graphics card after a couple years, and repeat. My current card is outdated, so I’m thinking about getting a newer one or a Ryzen 9 5900X/5950X.
Of course, jokes about cost don’t help much. I’m not sure my CPU will become a bottleneck soon (the system is balanced well, no issues). Still, I have a few questions:
1. Would anyone know if those CPUs would still be limiting performance?
2. Which video card you mentioned would suit me better? (I don’t care much about price, but budget matters to me.)
3. ...Or should I just replace everything and go back to Intel? (My main reason for staying is the good quality of my current hardware; I’d keep this as a backup.)
Thanks in advance,
Dany
5800X3D would likely be the superior CPU option and should remain functional for a long time unless you require 12/16 cores for gaming. RX 6700 XT / 6750 XT offer solid value, but you can go all the way to the RX6800 XT at $500 or consider the 7800XT at $520. A 4060 is not really suitable for anything beyond a lower-power setup. The RTX 4070 stands out as a strong choice compared to AMD's alternatives, delivering impressive performance for a 200W GPU and matching the capabilities of the 3080 you referenced. At $540 for a Zotac with dual fans, it’s still a significant improvement over its previous price of $600.
Check out the Ryzen 7 5700X paired with an RX 7800 XT featuring 16GB of RAM.
I completely agree on this. For optimizing value per dollar, the 5700x, 5800x3d, 5900x, and 5950x are clear top picks. The 7800xt and RTX 4070 stand out as the most suitable options. I recommend selecting the CPU based on your primary focus—gaming or professional tasks. For non-gaming use cases, the 5900x or 5950x offer strong performance with good gaming capabilities at a more affordable price. The 5700x and 5800x3d are ideal for budget-conscious users who still need solid results in non-gaming scenarios.
I'm ready to review the 5700x. This would be a significant improvement over your 3700x. Based on eBay completed listings, you should expect prices between 85 to 100 or slightly higher for the 3700x. That suggests your 5700x might cost around 80 dollars.
Regarding the 7800xt, it looks like a solid option. If you have a strong PSU, keep an eye on the older 6800xt. Their performance matches the 7800xt well, and you sometimes find good deals. They've recently increased in price, but I purchased one last week for $439.99. Although I considered the 7800xt, it would likely be a great card. I received the 6800xt this week because of the lower price.
Thanks everyone, it really means a lot. All the CPUs you mentioned are currently on sale with great discounts (especially since I'm in Canada), so I just need to choose one after reviewing the specs and benchmarks closely. I plan to buy this weekend to catch the best price.
Regarding the video card, I've always preferred NVidia, so switching to AMD would require a thorough comparison of what I'd lose versus what I'd gain. The 7800XT is about $100 cheaper than the 4070 on average, so the savings aren't substantial, but I'll wait until Boxing Day when prices might drop further.
As for the cooling solution, none of these CPUs come with a cooler, so the Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II 280 still seems like a solid option. It was popular around 2020 when I built my system, though I couldn't afford one at the time and opted for the included air cooler instead. If you have any better suggestions, let me know. Lighting isn't a concern for me, and overclocking isn't a priority either. Thanks again!
I enjoy the Thermalright peerless assassin 120 for air. It's a dual tower air cooler that's large yet performs well. It costs around 35 to 40 dollars, so you won't have to worry about the fan failing later.
Are you experiencing any issues with your current configuration? There’s no need to worry about a "bottleneck"—it’s just a constraint. Give it a try: Play your games, but reduce the resolution and visual effects. This will slightly strain the graphics card. If your frame rate improves, it suggests your CPU can handle better graphics settings. If your FPS remains unchanged, you’re likely CPU-bound. A rise in FPS implies a suitable graphics upgrade is warranted. What model does your PSU have? Is it capable of supporting a more powerful graphics card? With graphics cards, performance largely reflects the price you pay. Be cautious with the most overclocked factory versions. Tom's GPU hierarchy guide could be useful: GPU Benchmarks and Hierarchy 2023: Graphics Cards Ranked We’ve conducted numerous GPU tests on Nvidia, AMD, and Intel cards, organizing them in our detailed ranking. You probably won’t notice a significant difference between cards that are just one tier apart. When choosing between budget and quality options, invest in the better one if you can afford it. Opting for cheaper models can leave you uncertain for a long time. If you need a more powerful CPU, upgrading to AMD is straightforward. Gaming relies heavily on fast single-thread performance from the master thread. Check the cpu-Z benchmark on your 3700X and observe the single-thread rating. You should see a value around 528: CPU-Z Benchmark for AMD Ryzen 7 3700X (1T) - CPU-Z VALIDATOR Optimal CPU performance – 64-bit – January 2026 valid.x86.fr The key distinction between the 5900X and 5950X lies in increasing threads from 24 to 32. Ideal for batch applications, but not ideal for gaming. X3d versions perform better in games, though not as consistently as their base counterparts.
Thanks again. I appreciate the testing advice, but I know my system and I know there are no bottlenecks anywhere.. I simply WANT (not NEED) to upgrade it -- but while money is not necessarily a concern, who in their right mind wouldn't be looking to spend less on anything, at any time, if they can?
Anyway, I ended up getting the 5900X so I don't miss out on the current price, and will put the the $100 or so that I "saved" towards a RTX 4070 or, MAYBE (I'm still not convinced) towards the 7800XT, whichever makes the most sense on Boxing Day. (I'm also keeping the CPU sealed until then, in case its price drops... then I can just buy it again and return this one. Thank you Amazon, and your excellent return policy!
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I haven't decided on a cooler yet, but I won't be rebuilding until after Christmas anyway, so I have time.
Thank you all once again & all the best for the holidays!
Dany