Consider your current system and needs before choosing an upgrade.
Consider your current system and needs before choosing an upgrade.
I initially upgraded my CPU from an i5-4690K (4c4t) to an i7-6850K (6c12t) in 2017 after noticing improved video editing performance and discovering a great deal on the i7. This upgrade also introduced me to the enthusiast X99 chipset, offering quad-channel RAM and numerous PCIe lanes along with plenty of USB ports. It's been three years since then, and I'm contemplating another upgrade because my video editing workload has grown significantly—now in 4K resolution. Although I primarily focus on video editing, maintaining solid frame rates is important to me.
I currently have a GTX 1080 Ti and am not planning an immediate replacement for it, as I’m confident it will last several more years. My goal is to avoid major upgrades until the next generation of Intel releases, hoping they won’t introduce unexpected issues. However, rumors suggest that while 10th-gen Intel may not match Ryzen performance, a 4th-gen Ryzen is on the horizon, prompting me to reconsider my strategy.
I’ve weighed several options:
- An Intel Core i7-6950X at a reasonable price, though hard to find.
- An AMD Threadripper 2950X for its X99 platform and quad-channel support.
- A Ryzen 9 3900X for strong core/thread count.
- A Ryzen 9 3950X as a future-proof investment.
- An AMD Ryzen 9 3950X for long-term reliability.
I’m also considering the R9 3950X and X570 motherboard combo, aiming for a budget of $1000–$1200.
Regarding your question about 3000MHz RAM compatibility with 3rd-gen Ryzen: it’s generally safe to use 3000MHz memory with 3rd-gen Ryzen, though performance may be limited compared to higher speeds. If you need more stability or future-proofing, sticking with 3600MHz would be a practical choice.
This option stands out as the top selection. It performs similarly in gaming with an i9 9900K yet excels in most other situations.
This model offers significantly better single-core performance for your 6950x, with 20-60% additional cores and improved cooling efficiency.
I don't think you realized this (probably you didn't overclock). Broadwell-E CPUs are completely out of the question for overclocking thanks to Intel's security update. Because of that, the 6900k and 6950x won't match the performance of all Ryzen chips or even the 5960X. That's why Haswell-E CPUs saw a big price jump—making the 5960X very costly and less practical (unless you're very lucky). The 2950X isn't cheaper when you factor in the much pricier X399 board it uses compared to AM4 models, so the best value seems to be the 3900X. The 3950X is the top choice if you can afford it; otherwise, the 3900X offers solid performance at a more reasonable price. Fourth generation likely won't deliver huge leaps (since AMD's improvements are around 10-20%, which is like moving from first to second gen), so the focus should be on the 3950X, though its per-core cost is closer to mid-range chips like the 3600 and 3700X than the 3950X. This is rare for high-end products. I'd suggest the 3950X if you can spare the price, or the 3900X if not. Overclocking memory might be possible, but since you haven't touched the CPU, it's unlikely you'll try that.