Consider upgrading your FX or transitioning to Intel.
Consider upgrading your FX or transitioning to Intel.
He could consider swapping his motherboard for an older used Intel chip, which might give him better value. Alternatively, he could upgrade to a more capable FX processor or get a better PSU and SSD. With a $150 budget, focusing on a solid CPU like an i5 2400 or 4690k with a decent used board seems reasonable. For video editing, an i5 2400 or 3D VCA 4690 would work well, especially if he adds more RAM and a modern motherboard.
Haha, maybe a couple generation i3 would work better than what's available on AM3. Upgrading on that platform doesn't seem worth it. The budget is tight, so DDR4 might be out of reach for him. He should look for a locked i7 in an old Dell prebuilt—likely the best option.
That's a rough situation, to be honest. I’d go for a lower-end Ryzen if possible. At least that way I could eventually upgrade to something like 1600. I’d avoid FX since they’re struggling to handle 60fps properly now—their single-thread performance is terrible. They’re not bad CPUs, but developers haven’t really improved multithreading enough; most games are stuck in single-thread mode before multi-thread support. I’d suggest encouraging him to save up for a Ryzen build—it’ll be much more valuable and useful in the long run. BUT if he’s not committed, and I mean it when I say Ryzen is the best choice, then Intel is better than FX. It works better now, but won’t be as effective in the future.
He seems eager to explore new options. I’ll clarify my reasoning shortly. Switching to budget Ryzen and investing your funds into a solid B450 board is likely the safest path. With $150, it probably won’t be ideal unless you’re prepared to stretch your budget. A 2200G would fit a mid-range build, but used parts might help. You’d probably need to buy DDR4 RAM, which could raise costs. If possible, a system with a decent GPU like an EOM Dell Optiplex, HP, or Acer VERITON would work well, though it may struggle with newer games. A 2600 or 4690 seems reasonable. If you’re open to international shipping and minor risks, ordering a high-end CPU and motherboard could be worth it—something like an overclocked E5-2689 for $53, plus a Machinist X79 board for $80. DDR3 RAM would likely be sufficient. It’s a bit risky, but it could be interesting to see how others handle such setups.
These two creators are among my top picks as well; they're great to watch while working.