Consider your options carefully before deciding.
Consider your options carefully before deciding.
You're considering whether to upgrade from a 2600x to a 3700x based on current local prices. The differences are only around 20-30%, which is relatively modest. Since you don't need the higher-end model and the price seems attractive, it might be worth going for it unless you have specific needs that require the larger size.
For video compression, you'd likely see noticeable changes. Your current version is 3.9 across all cores.
If you're looking to improve, go all-in instead of skimping. Purchase quality items because they’re worth the investment, not because they’re cheap. A 3700x offers solid performance, even a small boost in gaming or faster encoding. Unless you don’t need it that much, skip it. Trading in a 2600x for just $20 won’t get you much value. If you’re ready to upgrade now, consider a used 5800x on eBay for around $350—similar to a 10850k, lasting about four years. Save wisely; prices will likely drop next year, and upgrading incrementally can waste money over time. If you're serious about video editing or heavy encoding, plan ahead.
You're expecting someone to sell a 3-year-old CPU that's superior across all metrics at its current MSRP? That's not great advice. To OP: If you have a B450 or X470 board, hold off until you can afford a 5600X when it comes back to market worldwide. It'll be a more significant upgrade later than a 3700x in IPC, and the IPC boost will likely matter more than extra cores for gaming. Still, it should handle the 3060Ti well. For low-end 1440p, it could work too, but that might leave you vulnerable if you stick with it. If you own a B350 or X370, wait for the Ryzen 8000 series—it'll be DDR5 and on a fresh platform, giving you more options.
He mentioned local rates fall between $20 and $30. Based on what he said, it seems reasonable. In my area, it doesn't seem too far off. You can check eBay for similar listings; prices might be closer to $30 if you're lucky, and Craigslist could offer even better deals.